Coming Through
by hulettwyo
Summary: Picks up from when Buffy beat the crap out of Spike outside the police station in Dead Things then goes seriously AU. General disclaimers apply. I own nothing. Just having a bit of fun.
1. Chapter 1  Stupid Demons

Coming Through

Chapter One – Stupid Demons

Seething with anger, Buffy stalked out of the police station and past the mouth of the alley, taking no notice of the black clad figure lying prone on the ground, his cheek pressed to the pavement. She didn't notice when he raised a bruised and battered face to watch her walk past through the slits of his bloody and swollen eyes. She didn't notice when he reached his hand out to her, and she didn't hear him whisper softly, "Buffy."

His hand dropped back to the pavement as she moved out of sight and he lay there, not moving at all as he waited for whatever horrible thing was going to happen to him next. '_Hell, maybe somebody I owe money to will come along and finish the job Buffy started. Or maybe I'll just wait for the bloody sunrise. Not like I've got any reason to keep going. I can't be a proper vampire 'cause of this soddin' chip, and it's pointless to try to be a man. She doesn't want me the way I want her, and I'm kiddin' myself to think she'll ever love me. She could never be my girl 'cause I'm just an evil thing. Like she said, there's nothin' good or clean in me. I'm dead inside.' _He heaved a giant sigh then stopped breathing altogether as he let his eyes fall shut and waited.

XXXX

_'Warren. That son of a bitch must have killed his girlfriend then tried to blame it on **me**! Tried to make me think I did it!' _She growled. '_He is soooo lucky that I don't know where he is because I **so** need to kill something right now.'_

She stalked through Sunnydale, envisioning Warren being tortured in a myriad of painful and bloody ways. The people she passed took note of the murderous look on the face of the small woman and gave her a wide berth. She didn't notice them. A woman dragged her crying daughter away from the feral grin she was sporting as she thought of an especially painful punishment. She didn't notice. She also didn't spare a thought to the bleached blond vampire with the twinkling blue eyes as she absently rubbed at his blood on her gloves.

A little while later she was stomping through her third cemetery, getting angrier by the second. She viscously kicked a headstone, shattering it into jagged pieces as she growled out, "Where the hell is everything? Oh sure, when I **want** to kill something, all the stupid demons are at home, snug in their stupid beds."

"Not this demon, Slayer."

She whirled around, pulling her stake, and smiled at the huge pile of green, slimy demon lounging against the wall of a crypt. "Did you come out here just because I wanted to kill something? That's so nice!"

The demon's low voice rumbled through her as he laughed, "No, Slayer. I came here to kill **you**. I've got a bet going with my brother. He says I can't kill you. I say I can." The demon pushed away from the crypt wall and stood to his full height, towering over the diminutive Slayer.

She grinned up at him as she twirled her stake then tucked it back into her pocket. "Sorry to tell you this, but you're about to lose your bet and I'm gonna get to kill something. It's a win-win. Or… I guess… a lose-win. Anyway, I win." She spun and dropped, sweeping the demon's legs out from under him, then chuckled at the surprised yelp that exploded from his mouth when he slammed into the ground. She jumped up and straddled him, punching furiously as she giggled like a maniac.

The demon held up his huge, claw-tipped hands, trying to block her punishing blows, but the Slayer's small fists easily dodged them and landed with stunning accuracy. After a few minutes, and several dozen punches, the demon dropped his hands, not even trying to block anymore. Buffy landed a few more punches then stopped and leaned back; resting her hands on her thighs. "Still think you can kill me? 'Cause I've gotta say, not looking good for you right now."

The demon shook his battered head as green slime oozed out of the cuts caused by Buffy's fists, then lay still. Buffy was watching his face curiously and didn't notice his fingers digging something out of the pocket of his rough tunic. She did notice when he raised his arm and threw something at the side of the crypt while he muttered under his breath. Suddenly the demon bucked her off and jumped to his feet, still muttering. Buffy flew into a headstone and bounced off, landing in a heap. She raised her head, flinging her hair out of her face, and saw the demon about to step through a swirling portal in the crypt wall.

Buffy scrambled to her feet and darted forward, tangling her hands in the demon's tunic. "Oh no, you don't. There will be no running away. Not when I want to kill something. That's just… rude."

The demon tugged desperately on his tunic, trying to free it from her grasp, then shrugged and stepped into the portal, dragging Buffy through behind him.

XX

XXXX

XX

Dawn sprinted down the street toward the police station. '_Buffy will kill me for being out by myself after dark, but I can't let her do this! I need her!'_ She slowed down as she got closer to the station and started looking around nervously. '_What if I'm too late? What if she's already in jail? What will I do then?' _She walked slowly past the mouth of an alley and heard a low groan. She spun toward the alley, pulling a stake from her back pocket, then dropped the stake and rushed over to the man lying on the ground. "Spike!"

Spike groaned again as Dawn rolled him onto his back. "Huh. Guess my luck hasn't run out after all. Somebody somewhere must still like me."

She gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth as the light from the street revealed his bloody and battered face. "Spike? What happened? Who did this to you?"

Spike chuckled low in his chest then mumbled through split and bleeding lips, "Your sis and I had a bit of a disagreement."

Dawn's eyes went wide with horror. "Buffy did this to you? Why?"

Spike reached for her hand and pulled himself to a sitting position. "I was tryin' to keep her from doin' somethin' stupid and she didn't agree with my handlin' of the situation."

Dawn's lips pressed into a thin line. "The dead girl. She told me about it. She's in jail, isn't she?"

Spike shook his head slowly, then stopped and gritted his teeth until the alley stopped spinning around him, "No, Bit. She's not. Walked past me 'bout ten minutes ago."

Dawn's look of horror changed to anger. "So she beat the shit out of you and then just **left** you here?"

Spike shrugged, "She's upset, Bit, and why wouldn't she leave me here? Not like I mean anythin' to her. Evil, soulless vampire, remember? I'm lucky she only pounded me into the pavement 'stead of stakin' me."

Dawn screeched, "I don't care if she's upset! What if you were still laying here when the sun came up? What then? What if some stupid humans found you? What the hell was she thinking? Just because she can't admit what the hell she feels doesn't mean she can just throw you away!"

Spike tried to quirk his eyebrow, but the swelling around his eyes made it impossible so he settled for tilting his head. "What do you mean, Niblet? What about how she feels?"

Dawn rolled her eyes in typical teenage girl fashion and huffed, "She loves you. Duh. Anyone with half a brain cell can see that."

Spike shook his head sadly, "Think you're wrong 'bout that one, pet. She doesn't even like me, much less love me."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin defiantly, "She's screwing you, isn't she?"

Spike's mouth dropped open in complete shock and he sputtered, "Who told you that?"

She blushed and looked away down the alley, "Nobody."

Spike reached out and grasped her chin, turning her head back to face him. "Then how do you know? The truth, Dawn."

She dropped her hands to her lap, twisting her fingers together as her blush deepened, and stammered. "Uh… I kind of… caught you… um… a week or so ago." Spike dropped his hand and nodded at her to continue. "Um… Janice had to go to her grandparent's house and I didn't want to go home yet, so I thought I'd go over to your place and see if you wanted to hang out. Anyway, I saw you… um… in the cemetery… with Buffy. At first I thought you were fighting, but then… she doesn't… uh… scream like that… when she's fighting." She looked down at her hands and completely missed Spike's gob smacked expression as she stuttered, "I… uh… didn't see any… uh… **parts**… or anything, but it was kind of obvious what was going on."

Dawn sat looking down at her hands while Spike sat staring over her shoulder at the wall for a few long minutes. Dawn finally peeked up at Spike and whispered, "So?"

Spike shook himself out of his reverie and looked toward the mouth of the alley. "Uh… I don't know, Bit. Um… I'm sorry you had to find out like that, and your sis is gonna be blinkered when she finds out you know. That'll probably earn me 'nother beatin'."

Dawn reached for Spike's hand and squeezed. "Then we won't tell her I know! I've kept it a secret this long. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

Spike chuckled, "I can handle the Slayer, Niblet. No need to worry."

Dawn gently brushed her fingers over Spike's broken cheekbone. "Yeah. Looks like you handled her all right."

Spike reached up and squeezed her hand, "I'll be fine, pet. I'll just get back to my crypt and I'll be right as rain in a few days, yeah?"

Dawn shook her head as she got to her feet, "Uh uh. You're coming back to my house and staying there until you're healed."

Spike shook his head, "Your sis won't…"

Dawn spat out, "My **sis** will just have to deal. You're my friend, Spike, and I'm not going to leave you like this. Now get up and let's get home."

Spike chuckled and slowly climbed to his feet. "Who am I to refuse the request of a Summers woman?" Dawn lifted his arm over her shoulders and slid her arm under his duster, wrapping it around his waist. She started leading him out of the alley and Spike squeezed her shoulder and chuckled. "I can walk, Bit. My legs are fine."

She looked up at his puffy eyes as they made their way slowly down the sidewalk. "You can't see anything, can you?"

He shook his head with a frown, "No, not really."

She smirked, "Then I'd be quiet and just let me help you or I might walk you into a building or off a bridge or something."

He chuckled, "All right, Bit. Lead the way." They were almost to the end of the block when Spike asked in a quiet whisper, "She loves me?"

Dawn squeezed him and whispered back, "Yeah. She does."


	2. Chapter 2  I Need a Shower

Coming Through

Chapter Two – I Need a Shower

Buffy stumbled out of the portal, panting with exertion, and sank to her knees in the damp grass. She looked down at herself and swiped at the green slime covering her coat then shook a glob of slime off her hand, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "God, why do huge, stupid demons always have to explode?" She noticed that her gloves had gone missing at some point then swiped another glob of slime off her coat and whined, "Guess this coat's another casualty of my life as the Slayer. And I really liked it too. Stupid demons." She pushed a stray strand of hair out of her face with a slime covered hand and shuddered. "I really need a shower. Or three."

She climbed to her feet and started walking slowly out of the cemetery, stretching her neck and trying to work some of the soreness out of her shoulders. "I really should start carrying a sword or something. Tearing the heads off ten huge demons is murder." She giggled silently to herself as she realized that, aside from the aches and pains, she actually felt good. Almost happy. '_Demon killing therapy. Better than valium or vodka. A world of better.' _She wandered aimlessly through the headstones, not really thinking about much of anything as she enjoyed the quiet.

When she reached the cemetery gates, she paused as the real world reasserted itself. '_Warren. Got to find him and stop whatever crap he and the nerd herd are planning then get his murdering butt tossed in jail. Need to talk to Dawn, find out what's going on with her. She seems so angry all the time. I guess she's right, though. I haven't really been around much since I came back, but she's wrong about me not wanting to be around her. Even though she can be completely annoying sometimes, she's my sister, and I'm all she's got. Xander's wedding. _ _God, that hideous dress Anya's going to make me wear. And Willow. On top of everything else, I've got to keep a magic junkie from falling off the wagon.' _

She stepped through the cemetery gates and onto the sidewalk with an exhausted sigh, her previous good feelings fluttering away like leaves on a breeze. She turned toward home, walking slowly as she looked blankly at the quiet street and dark buildings, lost in thought. Blue eyes and razor sharp cheekbones flashed across her mind and she stopped. "Shit! Spike!" '_Perpetual pain in my ass. At least that's one thing I can count on never changing.'_

She sighed again as she looked around, finally noticing the lack of people and activity on a street that had been bustling with both when she'd entered the graveyard a little while ago. "Where'd everybody go? It's not that late, is it?" She turned around and started walking quickly back the way she'd come. '_I hope he made it back to his crypt.' _The image of his battered face flared in her mind and she cringed. '_God, why did I hurt him like that? He was only trying to help me… in that backwards, do everything wrong way of his.' _She stopped and stared wide-eyed at the empty street. '_Yeah, he tried to help me by dumping a body! That's his idea of doing the right thing. He's evil, Buffy! Why are you even worrying about him?' _His battered face floated to the front of her mind again, and this time no amount of blinking and trying to think of something else would make it go away. She growled, "Aaaagh! Stupid vampire!" then started stomping down the sidewalk.

She veered across the street and stopped when she reached the mouth of the alley outside the police station. '_He's not here. Guess he's ok then, or ok enough to get home, anyway.' _She stared thoughtfully at the spot she'd left him lying in then started chewing on her bottom lip. '_Should I go check on him? Make **sure** he's ok?'_ She turned away from the alley and started in the direction of his crypt then stopped. '_Stupid vampire. He's way more than old enough to take care of himself. He doesn't need me babysitting him.' _

She turned toward home and actually made it three steps before she stopped again. '_Yeah, but I hurt him pretty bad. And he didn't even fight back. What is up with that? He might have a concussion. Can vampires get concussions? Well, something's got to be wrong with him. Stupid not-fighting back even though I'm whaling on him pain in my ass. I should go see if he's ok.'_ She started stalking off in the direction of Spike's crypt even though she still wasn't exactly sure why she was going. Her footfalls echoed off the buildings and she muttered under her breath the whole way, "Stupid pain in my ass vampire."

She listened outside Spike's crypt door as she debated with herself whether she should knock or just kick the door in like she always did. '_He might be asleep or something. Maybe I'll be quiet this time. I really don't want to fight with him right now and if I wake him up, he'll just start running his mouth and I'll probably end up punching him in the nose… or something… and I just want to make sure he's ok so I can go home and get all this gross slime off me.' _She slowly pushed the door open, flinching then freezing when the hinges emitted a loud squeak. She listened for movement from downstairs then let her breath out in relief when all she heard was silence. She stepped lightly into the crypt and stood for a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness.

_'Where'd all this furniture come from? This wasn't here yesterday.' _She stepped quietly around a large sofa then skirted a fairly new-looking recliner on her way to the hole in the floor that led to Spike's bedroom. The hole was covered by the slab of granite and she knelt down and tried to push it back, but it wouldn't budge. Her brow knitted in confusion as she stared at the slab, then her eyes lit on a set of hinges at the back. '_What? He put hinges on it? When?' _She shrugged and lifted the heavy slab, leaning it against the sarcophagus, then peered into the hole. There was a faint light emanating from Spike's bedroom and she climbed quietly down the ladder, stopping dead with her mouth hanging open when she stepped around the corner and the full room came into view.

All of Spike's old, salvaged furniture and piles of rugs were gone and in their place was a new-looking, king size, four poster bed. The bed was accompanied by a matching bedroom set and several lit candles in sconces along the walls. There was another recliner tucked into the corner next to her, and in front of it sat a shelf full of DVDs with a large flat screen television on top. A large, wrinkly, lightly snoring demon was lying in the middle of the bed, covered in kittens and clutching a fuzzy kitten in each hand. A few of them raised their tiny heads and blinked sleepily at her as she goggled at the drastically different room.

_'Clem? That demon from the poker game? What the hell is he doing in Spike's crypt? And when did Spike get all this nice stuff? How long was I in that other dimension? A week? Two? Did Spike win the lottery or something while I was gone? And again… what the hell is Clem doing here?' _Her head suddenly started pounding and she raised her fingers to massage her temples, cringing when the slime coating her skin squeaked under her fingers.

_'What the hell is going on? Where is Spike?' _She was looking around the bedroom, trying to get a sense of how much time had passed, when a horrible thought occurred to her. Her insides clenched and she almost retched all over the recliner. '_God, did I kill him? Did someone else come along and dust him after I just left him laying there all hurt and bleeding? There's no way he could've fought back, not in the shape I left him in, especially if a human found him. It looks like Clem lives here now and I don't think he would've moved in here unless Spike was gone.'_

Gone. The word reverberated around her brain as she backed away from the room in horror. She turned and climbed quickly up the ladder then rushed out of the crypt, slamming the door behind her. A leaden ball of guilt sat heavily in her belly as she sprinted through the cemetery and down the street, not slowing until she was on her own lawn. The thoughts she'd been trying to outrun caught up and crashed into her as she stumbled up her front steps and leaned against the door frame, panting and shaking. '_I think I killed Spike.' _A quiet sob wrenched itself from her body and her eyes widened in surprise as more sobs joined the first. '_I killed Spike.'_


	3. Chapter 3  Susie Homemaker

Coming Through

Chapter Three – Susie Homemaker

Buffy dropped to her knees on the welcome mat and sobbed quietly into her slimy hands. '_I killed him and I never even told him how I feel! Oh, I told him how I felt... or actually how I couldn't feel… but I never told him how I really felt about him. All I ever did was tell him how disgusted I was and how he was convenient. Oh God, the last thing I said to him! That he couldn't feel anything real. I told him I could never be his girl.' _The sobs gained strength, violently shaking her small frame as a loud wail was torn from her throat. She collapsed onto the porch and curled up into a ball, sobs wracking her body as her heart was torn to pieces. She sobbed until she couldn't breathe and the tears spilling from her eyes felt like acid on her cheeks.

After what felt like hours, the sobs finally subsided into hitching gasps and she sat up, feeling completely hollow as she wiped her face with slimy hands. '_He loved me and I never told him that… I love him too.' _She looked up quickly as a surprised smile flittered across her grimy face then turned into an anguished frown. '_I love Spike and he's dust.' _She dropped her face into her hands again as more tears poured from her eyes. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when she finally raised her head and looked up at her front door. '_Stupid vampire. Stupid me. What is wrong with me? It took me dusting Spike to make me finally realize that I love him. Way to completely miss the bus, Buffy. Why couldn't I have realized it when he was standing right in front of me, offering me his heart? Over and over. He kept trying to tell me, and all I did was beat his face in and leave him to die in a filthy alley.' _

Her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. '_God, I'm such a bitch! And I can't talk to anyone about it, they'd never understand. They'd be completely wigged that I fell for **another **vampire. And a soulless one at that. I could talk to Spike. He's the only one I can talk to anymore. He's the only one who just listens. Doesn't judge me or tell me I'm wrong or that I should just snap out of it. He understands. But now I don't even have that. Can't talk to dust. None of my friends will care; they'll all probably be happy he's gone, Xander especially. I'll have to put on a happy Buffy face and pretend like I'm not being torn up inside. I should've told them about us, made them understand. I should've… I went to Spike so I could feel something. Anything. And now that I finally do… it's too late.'_

She chuckled bitterly then climbed to her feet and leaned against the door frame for a minute. '_He told me the night of Dawn's car accident that us being together was a **bloody revelation** and that he knew where I lived now. I finally had that revelation and I completely know where I live now, too. In hell. I live in a Spikeless hell.' _She screwed her face into the _I'm happy even though my friends dragged me out of heaven and I've killed the man I love _mask, then dug her keys out of her pocket, unlocked the door, and slipped quietly into the house.

She slipped out of her coat in a daze and was about to hang it on the hook behind the door when she remembered the slime. '_Crap._ _Maybe I can clean the slime off. I'll just toss it downstairs for now and worry about it later.' _She took a step into the dining room and almost jumped completely out of her skin when loud music started blaring from the basement. She clutched at her frantically beating heart for a few seconds then tossed her slimy coat toward the front door. She walked quietly through the dining room and into the kitchen and stopped to pull a knife out of the block by the stove. '_Nobody in this house listens to that crap, burglar boy, so whoever you are; I hope you've enjoyed your life up 'til now, because you sure picked the wrong day to piss me off. And what kind of loser listens to music while they're robbing a house? Geez, stealthy much?'_

She pulled the basement door open slowly and snuck silently part way down the stairs then peeked around the railing. Her heart started hammering in her chest and her eyes went as wide as saucers as she clapped her hand to her mouth to stop the relieved giggles from spilling out.

Spike was bent over in front of the dryer, a towel around his waist and his bleached blond curls dripping water onto the floor as he pulled clothes from the machine and dropped them into a hamper at his feet. '_He's not dust! I didn't kill him!' _Her heart leapt in her chest and her limbs felt like they were thrumming with electricity as he straightened up, holding the hamper and singing along with the music at the top of his lungs.

A huge grin plastered itself on her face as he dropped the hamper on top of the machine and started folding the laundry. '_Spike's alive! Well… as alive as he gets… but… HE'S ALIVE!' _She shot to her feet and stepped down to the next stair, intent on rushing to Spike and either pouring her heart out to him or tackling him to the floor and ripping his towel off, she wasn't quite sure which one it would be just yet. Her bubble of elation was suddenly deflated when Xander's face flitted through her mind followed closely by Willow's. The disapproving face of her Watcher surfaced next and her hand clenched around the handle of the knife she was still holding. '_Oh yeah, my friends. They'll think I've finally gone totally insane when I tell them that I love Spike and want to be with him. Xander will probably start yelling about how evil he is, and Willow will just look at me with that sad face she gets, and Giles will start polishing his glasses while he calls someone to have me committed.' _

She dropped back into a crouch and set the knife down on the step next to her foot, then clenched both hands into fists and pounded them into her thighs. '_No! They are **not** going to tell me how to live my life anymore! They pulled me back into this world and now I'm going to do what I want. I'm tired of them always deciding what's best for me. They're my friends… not my parents. I'm an adult, and I'm the Slayer, and I decide what and who I want… and I want Spike. I'm **going** to have him and they're just going to have to deal. I'm going to be happy even if it kills me… again._

She looked back down at Spike and almost laughed out loud when he started bobbing his head and pounding out the beat of the music on the top of the dryer, still singing loudly. '_I never have that much fun when I do the laundry. Hey, wait a minute! He scared the crap out of me! That stupid vampire made me think he was dust, and apparently he's been in my basement playing Susie Homemaker the whole time I was gone!' _A wicked thought surfaced in her mind and an evil smile settled onto her face as she watched him match socks and fold them into a tight ball. '_Let's see how he likes it. Wonder if I can scare the Big Bad?'_

She crept silently the rest of the way down the stairs and around the corner then stopped just behind him and waited, holding her breath. Her eyes traveled from the soft, white hair at the nape of his neck down his smooth, muscled back to where the towel rested low on his hips. Her hand lifted from her side and started reaching for the towel as he pulled a shirt out of the hamper. He shook it out, then paused and tilted his head like he was listening for something. She realized what she was doing and dropped her hand. He sighed and shook his head, then pulled the shirt over it just as the song ended. In the quiet pause between tracks she said loudly, "Spike! What the hell are you doing half naked and soaking wet in my basement?"

He screamed and jumped away from her, flailing his arms and knocking the hamper and the piles of folded laundry all over the floor. His eyes were huge when he pulled the shirt down over his face and started backing away from her. The next song started blaring as he stumbled over something and glanced down to see a pair of his jeans. He bent down and snatched them up then almost jumped into them as he continued backing across the basement. He finally ran out of space and pressed himself against the wall as he stared at her. He pulled the towel off and dropped it to the floor, still staring at her as he quickly tucked himself in and buttoned his jeans. She took a step forward and he flinched. "Spike?" '_Ok… mission accomplished. I scared him. A lot. Why is he looking at me like that?'_

The music was starting to drill into her brain, so she turned around and punched the stop button on the CD player that was sitting on the shelf above the washer. When she turned back around, Spike was gone.


	4. Chapter 4  Screamed Like a Little Girl

Coming Through

Chapter Four – Screamed Like a Little Girl

He was staring at the Slayer-shaped creature standing in front of the washing machine, unable to tear his eyes away. When it turned around to stop his music, Spike blinked slowly as his brain finally unlocked. He took a tentative step toward it then shook his head and moved with silent vampire speed to his wardrobe, pulling it toward him. It swung away from his hidden tunnel entrance on silent hinges and he slipped into the opening then pulled the wardrobe back, leaving a small crack. He crouched down and cursed himself for being caught unawares in his own sodding house. '_You're gettin' soft, mate. First you let some… something… sneak up on you in your own bleedin' house, then you scream like a little girl and run away. Some Master Vampire you are. What the bloody hell is that? And why does it look like the Slayer?' _

He listened intently as whatever it was walked slowly through the basement, calling his name. '_Sure sounds like her. Especially that annoyed tone. Not like I've never heard **that** before.' _He reached out his senses and flinched again as he recognized the familiar tingles on the back of his neck that screamed **Slayer**. '_Feels like her. That's what I felt a few minutes ago in front of the dryer. Thought I was losin' my bleedin' mind.' _He inhaled deeply through his nose and his eyes widened in wonder. '_Hell, even smells like her… well… underneath the stench of G'vark demon, and there's no bleedin' way in hell that's a G'vark demon. They're bloody huge, and as far as I know they can't shape-shift. Could it be Buffy? Did she finally come back?'_

He peeked out from his hiding place and frowned at the look of consternation on her dirty, tear-streaked face as she trailed her fingers over the silk sheets on his bed then picked up one of the framed photos from the top of his dresser. She glanced at it then put it down and turned around. "Spike, I know you're still down here. You know I can feel you, and why are you making with the wiggins? I know I look gross, but it's just demon slime, and it's not like you've never seen me covered in gunk before, so get your pasty, vampire butt out here and tell me what the hell is going on!" She crossed her arms over her chest in typical annoyed Buffy fashion then muttered under her breath, "Stupid vampire." She stood like that for a minute or two then sighed in exasperation and turned back to the dresser as she mumbled, "You've got to come out sometime."

He waited until she turned to look at his photos again, then reached out and lifted the lid of his weapons chest far enough to snake his hand in and grab a dagger. He pulled his hand back then slowly stood and stepped silently out from his hiding place, pushing the wardrobe flush against the wall behind him. "Slayer? Is that you?"

She spun around and beamed a smile at him that would've restarted his heart if he wasn't so completely flummoxed by the sight of her standing in his room. Her smile turned to a confused frown as he raised the dagger just enough to let her know that he was armed. She put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Yes, it's me! What the hell is wrong with you, and why are you in my house? Dawn's sleeping just upstairs, and the last thing she needs is to see half-naked vampires walking around!" '_I don't mind the sight at all, because hey… hot… but my little sister doesn't need to see my half-naked vampire boyfriend.' _A blush crept up her cheeks and she beamed that dazzling smile at him again as the word 'boyfriend' flitted through her mind. '_Spike's my boyfriend. I love Spike and he's my boyfriend and he loves me. And he's not dust. I have a hot, not dusty vampire boyfriend. Or I will, as soon as I **tell** him that he's my boyfriend.'_

Spike's sputtering drew her out of her jumbled thoughts, "Niblet's here? But she's supposed to be…" He stopped and tilted his head. "Have you been upstairs since you came in?"

Buffy shook her head in confusion. "No. I heard the music just after I came through the front door and came down here to see who was stupid enough to break into my house, only to see you half-naked and dripping in front of my dryer."

The look of confusion on his face mirrored hers and she started looking slowly around the room, taking in the details. The bed was covered in black silk sheets with a blood red comforter bunched up against the wall, and the dresser had several piles of books stacked on top next to the pictures. The wall above the bed showed the faint outline of where the shelves used to be, but it looked like the shelves had been gone for a long time. There were several weapons stacked on the nightstand next to an open carton of cigarettes, and a half-full ashtray sat next to an alarm clock. A small cabinet next to the dresser had several bottles of alcohol and a few glasses sitting on top. Half-melted candles dotted almost every available surface. She glanced at Spike, who was still standing in front of a large wardrobe on the other side of his bed, gripping the dagger and watching her warily. One of the wardrobe doors was open and she saw his signature black t-shirts hanging over a shelf stacked with pairs of black jeans. Two pairs of scuffed, clunky black boots were tucked into the space between the wardrobe and the nightstand, and his ancient leather duster was hanging on a hook on the side of the wardrobe.

_'This is Spike's room._ _Spike is living in my basement.'_ She looked over at him and her stomach flipped. He was gazing at her with his head tilted in that way that made her breath quicken and her knees go all wobbly. She gritted her teeth and clenched her hands. '_Not now, Buffy! Focus! Something is a world of wrong here. You have a vampire living in your basement that wasn't living here yesterday. Why? When did he move in here and again… why?'_

She turned away from him and looked at the pictures on his dresser again. She picked up one of Dawn and Spike and looked at it closely. Dawn was wearing a cap and gown and held a rolled up piece of paper with a ribbon around it. Spike was standing next to her with his arm over her shoulders, looking proud as they both smiled for the camera. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt that really brought out his eyes. '_Spike in a suit. A suit! With a tie and everything!_ _Ok, that's bizarre. Did I come back to the right dimension? Or is this some alternate universe where Spike is living in my basement and wears suits?'_ Buffy spun around and thrust the picture at Spike. "What the hell is this?"

Spike peered at the photograph and smiled warmly, "Niblet's graduation. She was Valedictorian!" His eyes twinkled with pride, "Helped her with her studies and she graduated top of her class. She's a smart girl."

The room suddenly started spinning violently and Buffy turned around shakily then dropped onto the bed. She fell backwards and clutched the picture to her chest as scenes from the night played through her mind. Spike's crypt full of unfamiliar furniture and a kind of familiar demon. A vampire standing in her basement, wrapped in a towel and folding laundry like it was the most normal thing in the world. Dawn's **graduation** picture.

Spike stepped tentatively forward and stopped at the edge of the bed, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. Buffy lifted the picture from her chest and ran her fingers lightly over the smiling faces then looked up at him and whispered, "How long was I gone, Spike?"


	5. Chapter 5  G'vark

Coming Through

Chapter Five – G'vark

Spike sat down uneasily on the bed, as far away from Buffy as he could get and still be on the same piece of furniture, then whispered, "It'll be ten years next week."

Her breath caught in her throat and she squeezed her eyes closed as her stomach clenched. Tears slid out of her eyes and down the sides of her face, leaving clean tracks through the grime. She tried to speak, but the huge lump in her throat wouldn't let her. She cleared it and managed to whisper, "Ten years. Ten."

Spike ran his fingers shakily through his damp curls and breathed, "Yeah." He leaned over and placed the dagger on his nightstand then fished a pack of cigarettes out of the carton and peeled the cellophane off, dropping it into a small trash can beside the bed. He pulled out a smoke and put it between his lips then dug in his pockets, only remembering that he was wearing fresh jeans when he couldn't find his lighter. He sighed and tucked the smoke behind his ear then leaned back against the wall. "Where were you, Slayer? You look exactly the same as the night you disappeared." He smiled just a little, "Well, maybe not _exactly._ You weren't covered in demon slime last I saw you."

She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. "For me, this **is** the night I disappeared. I left the police station a few hours ago, went patrolling, and found a demon."

"G'vark?"

"Bless you."

Spike smirked, "No, luv. Was it a huge, green, slimy demon with large claws? Probably dressed in somethin' that looked like it might have been a burlap sack havin' a bad day?"

She giggled and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like it."

"He opened a portal and tried to escape through it, didn't he?"

She nodded again, "Yeah. He dragged me through with him and I met nine of his friends. It took a long time to tear all their heads off, and now I feel like I've been hit by a truck and then they backed up to see what they hit."

Spike had a look of unadulterated awe on his face and his mouth was hanging open. He closed it with a snap then said reverently, "You killed ten G'vark demons singlehanded? And without weapons?"

She shrugged, "Yeah. So?"

Spike chuckled and shook his head, "That's quite the accomplishment, pet. I wouldn't even go up against **one** without an axe and two or three friends. They're almost impossible to kill."

Buffy sat up and folded her legs under her, letting her slimy shoes hang over the edge of the bed as she smiled, "Yeah, I know. Took me a little while to figure out that breaking their necks only knocks them out and staking them only pisses them off."

Spike motioned to her slimy hair and pants, "I take it you noticed the whole explodin' when they die bit, too."

She laughed, "Yeah. The first one was a surprise and I tried to avoid it on the rest, but they explode big. Majorly big. It ruined my coat." She looked down at her slimy pants and shoes and frowned at the patches that were starting to crust over as they dried. "And my pants. And probably my shoes. God, being the Slayer sure is hard on my wardrobe."

Spike stood up suddenly and started for the stairs, "You should have a wash up, Slayer. You're gettin' G'vark slime all over my sheets. I'll make you some breakfast and we can chat. Got a lot to talk about, yeah?"

He stopped with one foot on the bottom step when she called out softly, "Spike?"

He didn't look at her when he said, "Yeah?"

She twisted her fingers in the hem of her shirt and whispered, "Did anyone... die… while I was gone?"

He glanced at her then said in a quiet voice, "Yes, but the Scoobies and assorted hangers-on are fine. Your Watcher, too."

"Ok."

When she didn't say anything else, Spike started up the stairs, calling over his shoulder as he stepped through the door at the top. "Your room is the same as you left it, Slayer. Get cleaned up. Breakfast will be ready when you're done." She heard him walk across the kitchen then heard the back door open and close.

She stood up and gently placed the photo she was holding back on the dresser then picked up another one and smiled. Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, Giles, Dawn, and Spike were all gathered around a large table in Xander's apartment, raising their glasses as they smiled at the camera. The large turkey in the center of the table said it was from Thanksgiving, but which one, she couldn't tell. Dawn didn't look much older than her graduation picture, and Xander had an eye patch that made him look like a pirate. She looked over the faces of her friends, noticing the little changes that come with getting older. The only one that hadn't changed at all was Spike. He looked exactly as he did outside the police station, well… minus the bruises and blood. She put the picture down and looked up at the ceiling. '_He may not **look** different, but he's changed.'_ She sighed and started slowly up the stairs. '_He's different.'_

XX

XXXX

XX

The hot water felt wonderful as it sluiced over her and melted away the slime. She scrubbed herself raw, using two washcloths and almost an entire bottle of body wash, then shampooed her hair three times before it felt clean. She put conditioner in it then stood under the spray, letting the hot water beat on her neck and shoulders. When the water started turning cold, she rinsed out her hair and shut off the water then stepped out, grabbing a large fluffy towel from the shelf above the toilet. '_Huh, that's new.'_

She stepped to the sink as she toweled her hair, then wiped the steam from the mirror and stood looking at her drawn and tired features. She had a large bruise on her cheek and a nasty scrape along her jaw. She lightly brushed her fingers over the scrape as her throat closed up and tears welled up in her eyes. '_I don't think he loves me anymore.'_

She replayed the basement encounter in her mind then buried her face in her hands and started sobbing. '_He didn't act like someone who'd found the woman he loves after ten long years. He acted like he didn't even want to be near me. He didn't used to be able to keep his hands off me, even when I was beating the crap out of him, but he didn't even give me a hug! He didn't touch me at all! Even as slimy and gross as I was, the Spike who loved me would've still been all over me.'_

She swiped the towel roughly across her face, wincing when it slid over the scrape, then finished drying off and walked into her bedroom. Everything was exactly as she'd left it when she headed out to patrol last night, right down to the pile of clothes on her bed. She walked over and picked up the shirt from the top of the pile, expecting it to be musty and gross, but it smelled like it had just been laundered. She dug quickly through the pile then dropped the clothes and backed away from the bed. Everything smelled clean. She turned to the closet and opened the door then leaned in and sniffed. Clean. Actually, it smelled better now than it had yesterday morning when she'd gotten ready for work, but nothing looked disturbed. The pants she'd left bunched on the floor next to her boots were still there. A flash of orange caught her eye and she walked over to the corner where she'd tossed her work uniform.

It had reeked of burgers and grease when she'd dropped it here, but when she picked it up and held it to her face, it smelled just as clean as the rest of her clothes. She let it slip from her suddenly numb fingers and backed up to the bed, dropping onto it with a whump. '_Somebody spent a lot of time keeping my room the same. EXACTLY the same. Why?'_

She shook her head, deciding that it was way too much for her tired brain to figure out, and moved to her dresser. She took out her yummy sushi pajamas and pulled them on then walked back into the bathroom and quickly brushed her hair and teeth.

The smell of bacon invaded her nose as she opened the bathroom door and her stomach rumbled in response. She padded slowly down the stairs and through the dining room on bare feet then peeked through the open kitchen door. Spike was bustling back and forth from the island to the stove and toaster, flipping eggs and sliding hot pieces of toast onto a plate, buttering them as he waited for the eggs to cook. He slid two eggs onto a plate, added several pieces of bacon and two pieces of toast, then set it across the counter next to a tall glass of orange juice. He turned back to the stove and cracked two more eggs into the pan. "You gonna come in here and eat or just stand at the door watchin' me?"

She blushed and walked into the kitchen then perched on the stool in front of her plate. "Thanks for this, Spike. I'm starving." She picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite, then picked up her fork, cut up her eggs and speared a piece. She stuffed the egg into her mouth and took another bite of bacon then mumbled, "This is really good." She chewed and swallowed then smiled at Spike's back, "I didn't know you could cook."

He shrugged without turning around, "Had to learn. Niblet needed more than pizza and Chinese takeaway after the witches moved out. 'Sides, it's just bacon and eggs. Nothin' spectacular."

The room fell silent except for the sounds of cooking and eating as Spike filled his plate and sat down across from her. He took a bite of bacon then stood and pulled a blood bag out of the fridge, drained it into a large mug and set it in the microwave. He leaned over the counter and snagged a piece of bacon off his plate, munching on it as he waited for his blood to warm, then took the cup out of the microwave and sat back down.

Buffy watched him eat and take sips of blood out of the corner of her eye as she ate her own food. She scooped up the last bit of egg with her last bite of toast and popped it into her mouth then took a long drink of orange juice. He poured a little bit of blood onto his eggs then mixed it in and took a large bite. Buffy grinned to herself as she picked up her dishes and walked over to the sink. She dropped them in then turned and leaned against the counter, sipping her juice. "So."

Spike took a long pull of his blood then looked up at her. "So."


	6. Chapter 6  At Loose Ends

Coming Through

Chapter Six – At Loose Ends

Buffy smiled uneasily, twisting her glass around in her hand. "I think this is probably the longest I've ever heard you not talking. Ever."

Spike shrugged and drained his cup then set it down on the island and picked up his last piece of bacon. "I'm by myself a lot of the time. Got used to not talking."

She leaned over the counter and picked up his empty plate then turned and put it in the sink. "I'll do the dishes since you cooked, if you want."

He shrugged, "All right."

She leaned over and picked up his mug and silverware as he got up and took the pan off the stove and set it next to the sink. He picked up the spatula and dropped it into the pan then slid the toaster back into the cupboard. He swiped the crumbs off the counter with the dishcloth then wiped up the few spots of grease on the stovetop. He walked to the basement door and pitched the towel down the stairs then turned back to the island.

He swiped his hand across his mouth as he plopped back down on his stool and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of the pocket of his jeans. He put one between his lips and was about to light it when he noticed the look on Buffy's face. He smiled sheepishly and tucked the smoke behind his ear. "Sorry. Bit doesn't like it when I smoke in the house, but sometimes I do anyway. You know, Big Bad and all. I'll go outside."

He stood and moved to the back door then pulled it open and was about to step through when Buffy shouted, "Spike!"

He startled and turned to face her, "Cripes, Slayer! No need to shout at me. M' not deaf, you know."

She blushed and smiled in embarrassment as she pulled back the curtain and pointed to the sunny California morning just outside the kitchen window. "Uh… daylight? I know I've been gone a while, but aren't vampires and sunlight still un-mixy things?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, they still are, but it's ok, luv. The whelp enclosed the porch for me so I can go out there in the daytime."

She walked over to the kitchen door and peeked out at the back porch. Sure enough, the back porch had been enclosed, but the walls consisted mostly of large, sun-filled windows with very little solid anything between them. A solid glass door, directly across from the kitchen door, opened onto the back yard, and the entire room was filled with bright, warm sunlight. She looked up at Spike's smiling face then back out at the porch. "Uh… I see a lot of sunlight."

Spike stepped quickly through the door and stopped in the middle of the porch, sunlight shining in his hair and making his pale skin glow. She tensed up to reach out and jerk him back inside and he held up his hand, "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Slayer." He reached out and knocked on the nearest window. "Special glass made for vampires. Got it from Peaches."

She relaxed and stepped out onto the porch as Spike lit his cigarette, "So, how long have you lived here?"

He blew smoke out his nose as he looked at her with an unreadable expression. "Uh… pretty much since the night you disappeared. Niblet found me in the alley and brought me here to take care of me while I healed. Been here ever since."

Buffy's face reddened with shame and she dropped her gaze to the floor then mumbled, "I'm sorry about that, Spike."

She turned and walked quickly back into the kitchen as Spike stared after her with a look of wonder on his face. '_The Slayer just apologized to me. Apologized. To **me**.' _He took a deep drag on his cigarette and tilted his head, thinking.

She was rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher when she heard Spike walk back into the kitchen and sit down at the island. She rinsed the pan and propped it in the bottom rack then closed the door and turned around, leaning against the counter as she dried her hands. "Thanks."

He tilted his head and quirked his eyebrow, "For what?"

"For sticking around and taking care of Dawn."

"Told you I would, Slayer. Made a promise, didn't I?"

She smiled, "I remember, but it couldn't have been easy for you, dealing with my friends and Giles."

He smirked, "It wasn't actually all that hard… well… for me, anyway. Niblet basically put her foot down and told 'em I was movin' in and that was that. Anytime any of 'em started arguin' about it, she started screamin' and slammin' doors. Harris even had to replace the door to her room 'cause she slammed it so many times it cracked. I mostly just tried to stay out of the way. Didn't want to end up accidentally dusty if somebody got stake happy in the heat of the moment, yeah?"

Buffy chuckled, "Yeah, that sounds like Dawnie." She picked up her glass of orange juice and took a sip. "Where is she now?"

Spike's eyes started twinkling with pride again as he said, "She's at NYU working on her Masters in World History."

Buffy's jaw dropped and she almost choked on her juice. She swallowed then sputtered, "New York? Dawn's in New York? And she's getting a Masters degree?"

Spike chuckled, "Told you she was a smart girl."

Buffy sipped her juice again then whispered, "Wow." She swirled her juice around in her glass and looked at Spike shyly, "So why are you still here?"

A flash of hurt crossed his face and he looked down at the counter, "What do you mean?"

"Well… um… Dawnie's an adult now. Out living her life. You don't have to take care of her anymore, so… why are you still here and not out in the world doing the vampire thing and being the Big Bad?"

He shrugged without looking up. "Don't want to, I guess. There's nothin' out there for me." He picked up the salt shaker and started twisting it around in his fingers. "I've always had someone to take care of, Slayer. First Mum… then Dru… and when she tossed me… well… I've never been much good when I'm at loose ends. Tend to do stupid things and make bad decisions. Harmony and the soddin' Gem of Amarra spring to mind. I need people, Slayer. Need somethin' to focus on."

She sat down on the stool across from him and asked quietly, "But you're alone here. Who are you taking care of now?"

He looked up at her angrily, his eyes flashing amber. "Niblet and I talk almost every day. She tells me 'bout her studies and gets my perspective on events in history… well… the ones I was around for, anyhow. She tells me 'bout her life, asks my advice on blokes she's datin' and what all, and I growl and threaten to bite 'em if they hurt her. I'm here when she comes home on her breaks, and I've gone to New York to see her. I'm still takin' care of her, Slayer."

She held up her hands in a placating gesture, "Ok, Spike. Sorry. I didn't mean…" Something occurred to her and she suddenly blurted out, "How'd you guys get past Social Services if I was gone? I just had another visit from them last week… well, last week for me. Who was her guardian?"

Spike was still wearing an angry scowl when he gritted out, "I was."

Buffy's eyes got huge, "You? How?"

His scowl melted into an amused smirk at the look on her face. "Red. She… uh… forged some paperwork and did a little computer hackin' to make it look like I was Bit's long lost uncle from England. I got full custody after Ripper had a **discussion** with your Da."

Buffy smirked, "No offense, but wouldn't it have made more sense, and probably been easier, to choose Willow or Giles or Xan to be her guardian?"

He shrugged, "Yeah, it probably would've, but Bit wanted me and wouldn't hear of anythin' else. Your disappearance hit her pretty hard, Slayer. She was attached at my hip for the first few months after, afraid to let me out of her sight. I don't know if she was scared that I'd go missin' or that she would, but she wouldn't go anywhere without me. Even school. I'd have to cart her to campus through the sewers, on my back so she wouldn't foul her shoes, then I'd wait in the library 'til she was ready to go home, answerin' text message after text message tellin' her I was still there. She was convinced that if I'd been with you that night, you wouldn't have disappeared."

Buffy nodded thoughtfully, "I probably wouldn't have if you'd been there. You would've never let me go through the portal, would you?"

He shook his head, "No. I'd have tried to stop you, or at the very least gone in after you and pulled you back out. Then you might've only been gone a few months." Her eyes got huge and she thumped her glass of juice down on the counter then started for the back door. Spike yelled just as her hand landed on the knob, "Slayer!"

She spun and looked at him with wide, scared eyes, "What?"

"Where the bloody hell you runnin' off to now?"

She turned the knob and jerked the door open, "The portal! It's still open! What if somebody finds it?"

Spike bolted from his seat and reached over her head to slam the door shut. "Calm down!" He pointed to a stool and barked, "Sit!" She backed away from him and dropped onto the stool, breathing fast. He stepped calmly across the kitchen and sat down on his stool then reached across the island and pushed her glass of juice across the counter. "Drink that."

She picked up the glass with a trembling hand, took a small sip, and put it back down. "What about the portal?"

Spike looked her over and smirked, "First off, you're in your pajamas and barefoot." She looked down at herself and blushed then smiled at him. "Secondly, nobody else will be able to see the portal. Only someone who was there when it was opened is able to see it. Since you've killed all the G'varks on the other side, you're the only one who still can. My demon would be able to sense the portal if I got close enough, but I wouldn't be able to see it."

She giggled in relief and picked up her juice. "Oh." She took a long drink then set the glass down and frowned, "What if somebody just walks through it?"

Spike shook his head, "Humans can't go through a G'vark portal 'less they're attached to a G'vark or dead, and demons generally won't if they can help it. If you're not a G'vark, goin' through one of their portals hurts like a bitch."

Her brow knitted in frustration, "But I came back through without being attached to a G'vark. And hey… not dead… again. How was I able to do that?"

Spike laughed, "You were covered in G'vark, pet. Head to toe, if I'm not mistaken. If you put on your slimy clothes, you could probably still walk back and forth through the portal like it was your own front door."

She giggled again and smiled, "Oh. Right." She picked up her glass and turned it in her hand, watching the juice swirl for a few long minutes, then asked quietly. "Um… so how is everyone?"


	7. Chapter 7  The Chat

Coming Through

Chapter Seven – The Chat

Spike stood and walked to the fridge then heated up another mug of blood and started for the door, "How 'bout we have a sit down on the porch, yeah? I've become fond of sittin' in the sun early in the mornin' while I drink my blood."

She nodded then refilled her orange juice and followed him out to the porch. He dropped into a ratty, comfortable looking chair next to a table piled high with old books, and she curled up on the small loveseat across from him. She took a sip of juice then looked out the window at the back yard. "It's pretty out here."

He smiled and sipped his blood as he gazed over at her, "Yeah. Beautiful."

She looked over at him, sitting in what appeared to be his favorite chair, bathed in sunlight with his leg draped over the arm. "Um… Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"If you sit in the sun all the time, um… why aren't you… I don't know… um… tan?"

He burst out laughing, "Vampire, luv. We don't tan." He waved at the windows, "You wouldn't get tan sittin' out here either, pet. It's the glass. Blocks all that out." '_So far she hasn't taken me to task for callin' her pet or luv. Hmmm.'_

She smiled and looked down at her juice, "Oh." She took a drink then looked back up at Spike, "So… about everyone?"

Spike took a sip of blood then smiled, "Uh… right. Let's see… the whelp married Demon Girl and she's 'bout to pop their first sprog."

Her brow knitted in confusion, "Excuse me? Could you speak English, please?"

He chuckled at the look on her face, "That **was** English, pet. Anya's pregnant, due any day now, and she's bloody huge, but don't tell her I said that. She'll sic her friend Halfreck on me, and I don't fancy having my innards danglin' about on the outside."

Buffy grinned, "I'm guessing Halfreck is a Vengeance Demon?"

Spike nodded and grinned, "Yeah. Her specialty is kids messed about by their parents, but I don't doubt she'd do a _favor_ for Anyanka."

"Xan and Anya have been married for ten years and this is their first baby? Why'd they wait so long?"

He shook his head, "No, they've only been hitched four years. Didn't go through with it the first time. Some bloke that was one of Anyanka's victims turned up at the wedding and got revenge on her by showin' Harris a horrible future that would come about if he married her. It was all smoke and mirrors, but the whelp believed it and scarpered, leavin' her standin' at the altar."

"Xander left her? Just left her?"

Spike nodded, "Yeah. Was scared they'd end up like his parents. Took the two of 'em a while to get themselves sorted, but they finally got back together 'bout five years or so ago."

"It took them five years to figure it out? Why so long? Something must have happened, Anya's not that patient."

Spike chuckled, "Wasn't Anya holdin' things up, pet. You know how bloody single-minded Harris can be. And something did happen. A few months after the wedding that wasn't, Anya had a onetime shag with someone and he just couldn't let it go."

"She cheated on Xander? Well, that explains a lot."

He shook his head as his eyes drifted toward the window, "Wasn't cheatin', luv. Can't cheat on someone you're not with, yeah? She was miserable and one night got completely pissed with this bloke who was in the same boat and… things just happened."

"Who was it?"

His eyes flicked to Buffy then away again. "That's not important. Point is, they'd both had their hearts ripped out and stomped on and were tryin' to drown their sorrows and ended up takin' comfort in each other for a little while. Didn't mean they didn't still love the people who hurt 'em, they were just tired of bein' in pain."

She was quiet for a few minutes as she considered his words then she asked softly, "How did Xander find out?"

"Walked in on 'em. He beat the bloke to a bloody pulp and Anya barely managed to keep Xander from killin' him. He left the stupid sod in a broken heap on the floor, then stormed out and wouldn't speak to or even look at Anya for months after. She went back to the Vengeance gig for a bit, but her heart wasn't in it and she finally gave it up."

"Wow, Spike. I don't know what to say. Xander almost killed someone? That's just… wow."

Spike nodded curtly then looked back over at Buffy, "Um… on then. Red and Glinda live in the flat over the Magic Box, and have been helpin' Rupert and Demon Girl run the place so she can stay home for a while after the baby's born. Glinda's got her own tarot card and aura readin' business, and Red designs web sites and does other freelance computer work when they're not runnin' the shop."

Buffy smiled, "Anya's going to let someone else touch her money and there's an apartment over the Magic Box?"

Spike nodded, "Xander built it for the witches durin' the time he wouldn't acknowledge Anya. That made for some tense times 'round the shop. Niblet stopped hangin' out there because of it, which was nice, 'cause then I didn't have to be there either. He's got his own construction company now, and don't fret 'bout Anya's dosh. She had a camera installed over the till so she can watch it anytime."

Buffy laughed then asked, "So when did Willow and Tara get back together? Tara had moved out not long before the whole stupid portal thing."

"Your disappearance brought 'em back together. They were workin' side by side and managed to sort things out between 'em."

"What about Giles?"

"Librarian at the high school."

"They rebuilt it?"

He nodded, "Yep. This one's the third go. Dawn did her Senior year at the short-lived second go."

"Is it still over the Hellmouth?"

He nodded again, "Yeah."

"So who's the Slayer now?"

He shrugged, "Some bird named Tina. Last I heard she was keepin' control of the Hellmouth in Cleveland."

Buffy blanched, "How did Faith die?"

Spike's eyes turned sad as he looked down at his mug, "She died closin' the Hellmouth 'bout two years after you disappeared."

"The Hellmouth is closed? Really?"

He nodded then shrugged, "Yeah… well… not completely. It's closed like shuttin' a door and lockin' it. It could still be opened if someone or somethin' was determined enough to pick the lock. Closin' it completely would've destroyed Sunnydale. Faith managed to kill all the beasties tryin' to get through and slam the door, but she had to give her life to do it."

"How did she do it?"

"Angel brought us an amulet that a Champion was supposed to wear. Someone with a soul, but stronger than human. He was gonna wear it himself, but Faith told him no and sent him back to LA."

"Why?"

"In case we lost, he could carry on the fight. The amulet worked though. Lit up all the beasties and knocked down most of the Hellmouth."

"Did you see her die?"

He swallowed hard and shook his head, "No. She sent the lot of us out right before the cave collapsed, but she was on fire when I left. I tried to drag her out with me, but she fought me off and told me to get out and take care of Dawn and the rest. Said they needed me then she threatened to stake me if I didn't move my arse."

Buffy nodded sadly as she looked out the window, "So… if the Slayer is in Cleveland… then who's protecting the Hellmouth?"

He looked up at her and took a deep breath then set his face into a grin, "I am."

"By yourself?"

He shook his head, "No. The Scoobs help. I do the patrollin' and fightin', they do the researchin' and spells and whatnot and back me up if needed. The research goes a lot faster now since they started actually listenin' to their two resident demons. You should see the look on ole Rupert's face when Demon Girl tells 'im that his books are wrong."

Buffy had a look of alarm on her face when she asked, "Spells? Willow's doing magic?"

Spike nodded, "Yeah. Quite good at it, too. After her… uh… problem, she went to stay with a coven across the pond for a few months and learned to control it and use it properly."

"Oh. And she didn't try to bring Faith back after she died?"

Spike blanched just a bit, "No, luv. Learned her lesson with you, she did. 'Sides, Faith threatened to kick her arse if she even thought about trying it."

Buffy smirked as she pictured Faith threatening Willow, "How did Faith end up here? She was in prison, supposedly for a long time. How did she get out?"

"The Great Forehead. He got her out of prison and sent her here. She'd grown up a lot from what I've been told 'bout how she was before. We got on rather well, actually."

Buffy felt a bright flame of jealousy burn through her and she squeezed her glass, her knuckles turning white as she looked at her knees and mumbled, "Oh. That's nice."

Spike tilted his head as he noticed her grip on the glass then he smirked to himself. '_Bird looks jealous. This just gets curiouser and curiouser.' _ He smiled over at Buffy, "She beat the snot out of me the first day she was here. Reminded me a lot of you. She hits just as hard."

Buffy looked up sharply, "Was she trying to stake you?"

He shook his head and chuckled, "No. She was just lettin' me know how she felt 'bout my last visit with Peaches."

Her brow knitted in confusion… again, "What happened between you and Angel that Faith would be upset about?"

Spike smirked, "I had the great poofter tortured for a while tryin' to get my soddin' ring back. She wasn't impressed and showed me just how unimpressed she was, then helped me down to the basement and cleaned me up. Cowgirl and I were best mates from then on."

Buffy barked laughter, "Cowgirl? You called Faith… Cowgirl? Why? I seriously doubt she's ever been anywhere near a horse. She's from Boston, not the… old west or whatever."

Spike smiled a little secretively, "The name came from somethin' she said to me at the Bronze when she was wearin' your body."

Buffy looked slightly frightened, "What did she say?"

Spike's smile turned soft, "Between her and me, pet."

Buffy scowled and looked out the window, "And the Council sent the new Slayer to Cleveland instead of here?"

Spike nodded, "It's been fairly quiet, just your run of the mill vamps and the occasional demon horde. We haven't had a proper apocalypse since Faith died. 'Sides, I was here and didn't need a baby Slayer muckin' up the works and I told the Council as much. They argued, of course, and told Rupes they were sendin' her out after they'd trained her up a bit."

Spike's chest puffed out as he raised his head and looked at her with a glint in his eye. "By the time she was ready to be on her own, word had got 'round in the demon world that I was Master of Sunnydale and the Hellmouth. Aside from idiot fledges, not too many demons are barmy enough to take on a Master Vamp from the Line of Aurelius. So… they sent the bint to Cleveland instead."

Buffy looked over at him and smiled to herself. '_Spike's got his pride back. He's the Big Bad again.' _ She looked him over appraisingly and licked her lips. '_Pride looks good on him. Really good.' _ She shifted slightly in her seat and looked down at her hands, blushing furiously because she'd just realized that she was staring. "Um… so what happened to Warren and the nerd herd? I'm pretty sure he's the one that killed that girl. She used to be his girlfriend."

Spike chuckled at her nervousness, "He's in prison. The little dark-haired bloke came to us not long after you disappeared and told us the whole story. He thought Warren had somethin' to do with you going missing. I… uh… _convinced _him that it'd be in his best interests to come clean to the bobbies 'bout the bird Warren done in after I had a little… uh… _chat_ with Warren. When we were certain he didn't know anything 'bout you, we turned him over. His two mates made some kind of deal and only did a few years, but Warren's in for life."

Buffy grinned, "Wow. The system actually worked for once. And you… chatted… with Warren? What about your chip?"

Spike smirked, "Didn't fire once, pet. Never laid a hand on the bloke. All I had to do was flash a little fang and growl and describe what I was _gonna_ do if he didn't talk."

Buffy smiled faintly then looked down at her juice and picked at her pajama top. "Did you guys try to find me?" She stared at her fingers, waiting for Spike to answer, then peeked up at him and gasped at the look of pain on his face.

He clenched his jaw and settled his face into a blank mask and his voice was steady and even when he spoke, "'Course we did, Slayer. Searched for you high and low. Covered every inch of this soddin' town. Giles contacted the Council and researched for weeks, read every book he could get his hands on. Glinda did spell after spell 'til she landed herself in hospital, then Red took over and nearly went off the deep end into dark magicks. Harris took to beatin' on demons for information and nearly got himself killed several times over. Everybody did everything they could, but there was absolutely no trace of you. No sign at all to where you'd gone or what'd happened to you. When Red got back from England, she told us the coven had done a spell and found out you were in another dimension, but they couldn't pinpoint which one it was out of the thousands of possible choices. From that point on, all we could do was wait and hope you found your way back."

She nodded and looked back down at her pajama top, her mind whirling, and her jaw dropped in a huge yawn. She drained her orange juice and stood up slowly, "I'd love to sit and talk all day, but I'm beat, and I've got a lot to think about. I'm going to go try to sleep for a while, ok?"

He got to his feet then looked at her and nodded, "All right, luv. I should catch some kip, too. Patrol was a bit rough last night." They both walked back into the kitchen and Buffy rinsed her glass then put it in the dishwasher as Spike stepped up behind her and finished drinking his blood. Buffy moved over a step so he could rinse out his mug then took it from him and put it in the dishwasher. She turned around and her breath caught when she realized how close they were. She looked up at him with a small smile as she breathed in his scent; cigarettes, leather, blood and whiskey. Uniquely Spike. She leaned toward him slightly, lifting up on her tiptoes, and he backed up then stepped quickly around her, being careful not to brush up against her as he headed for the basement door. "See you in a bit, yeah?"

She turned around and said softly, "Spike?"

His hand was on the doorknob and he didn't turn around, "Yeah?"

She looked at tight black cotton clinging to his muscular back, and the soft platinum curls at the nape of his neck. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to run her fingers over his silky skin and tangle them in his hair, but all she did was whisper, "Good night." '_I love you.'_

He nodded and pulled the door open, "Night, Slayer," then disappeared through it, pulling it closed behind him.


	8. Chapter 8  Can't Sleep

Coming Through

Chapter Eight – Can't Sleep

She rolled over and looked at the clock. '_Geez, it's just past noon. You'd think I'd sleep longer considering I was awake for a decade.'_ She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. '_Ten years. Stupid portal.' _

She rolled onto her stomach and closed her eyes, but sleep wouldn't come. She tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position, and after what seemed like hours, she finally gave up and looked at the clock. '_Great. Twenty minutes. Guess I'll get up.' _

She went into the bathroom, quickly brushed her hair and teeth, then changed into a pair of jeans and a tank top. She looked around her room then dropped onto her bed and stared at the pile of clothes still stacked up on one side. '_Maybe I should clean this up. I'll probably have to get all new clothes. Who knows how outdated this stuff is now?' _She stared at them for a few minutes longer then shook her head. '_Yeah. Right. I have no money and no job, and I probably can't even get one because how am I going to explain the last ten years? Oh, that… yeah. I was in another dimension tearing the heads off slimy demons, that's why I have no job history for ten years. Right.' _She looked at the pile of clothes again and sighed, then stood and made her way downstairs.

The living room looked almost exactly the same; the only big difference was a new couch and coffee table. She wandered around, looking at the photographs and bric-a-brac, and lightly traced her fingers over unfamiliar items. She wandered through the dining room, looking things over, and found herself in the kitchen, standing at the basement door with her hand on the knob. '_He's probably still sleeping. I should leave him alone.'_

She opened the door and crept silently down the stairs then peeked around the corner. Spike was lying on his back with one hand resting on his bare stomach and the other thrown out over the bed. His comforter was pooled on the floor at the foot of the bed and the sheet was draped low across his hips. His chest moved slightly as he breathed and she smiled. '_He breathes even when he's asleep. Guess I never noticed that. Of course, I never stayed with him long enough to actually **sleep**, and the few times I did see him sleeping I wasn't really paying attention. Like he said the other day, I'd usually kick him in the head and run out, virtue fluttering. God, I am a bitch. He loved me and I was just using him because he made me feel.'_

She sat down on the bottom step and leaned against the wall then just watched him sleep. His eyelids fluttered and she noticed how dark his lashes were against his pale skin. Her eyes traveled over his sharp cheekbones then lingered on his full, pink lips. He suddenly rolled to his stomach, startling her just a little, and the sheet got pulled even lower, exposing his bare backside. Buffy drew in a quick breath as her gaze traveled over the well defined muscles of his back then lingered on his butt

She started thinking about how she'd like to be gripping those firm, muscular cheeks as he pounds into her, his lust-darkened eyes gazing down at her. Her heart started beating faster, her nipples hardening into peaks against the fabric of her shirt as a familiar ache started forming in her core. She shifted on the step, letting out a low moan as the seam of her jeans rubbed in just the right way. He moved and she froze, then quickly scooted back up the staircase a few steps and went still, listening. She heard him moving and the rustling of cloth then nothing. '_He must have rolled over and pulled the sheet back up.'_

She was about to lean down and peek around the corner when his deep baritone voice rolled through the basement, "I know you're there, Slayer. How long you been watchin' me?"

She swallowed then stood slowly and stepped into his view, "Uh… only a few minutes." A blush crept up her cheeks as her eyes swept over him. He'd grabbed the comforter off the floor, but had only pulled it up far enough to barely cover him. His chest and stomach were still bare, and her eyes traveled along the light brown hair that started just below his navel and disappeared under the edge of the blanket. She leaned against the wall, trying to be nonchalant even though her heart was pounding a mile a minute in her chest. "Sorry I woke you."

He shrugged, "No worries, pet. Had to get up anyway." His hand trailed slowly down his chest and glided to a stop at the edge of the blanket. He picked at the cloth with his fingers as his tongue slipped out and wet his lips, "Get an eyeful then, luv?"

Buffy was surprised that her cheeks weren't on fire as hot as they felt right now. She shook her head and stammered, "Um… no… well… yes… but… um… you know… nothing I haven't seen before."

He frowned and sat up, "Right." She just stood there, staring at his chest then trailing her eyes over his arms and across his stomach. He muttered low under his breath, probably not meaning her to hear, but she did. "That's all I ever was to you, Slayer. Eye candy and a fuck toy. Oh, and let's not forget punchin' bag."

She frowned and looked away in embarrassment then he cleared his throat and she looked back at his face. "Let me get decent and I'll be up in a bit, yeah? We should probably let everyone know you're back."

She looked away from him again and concentrated on his dresser, "Um… could we not? Just for a little while? I'm still pretty wigged about the whole _ten years_ thing and I don't think I can deal with… you know… people."

He shook his head, "Sorry, pet. The whole gang'll be over in…" He looked at the clock on his nightstand, "About four hours. It's my turn to make Sunday dinner."

Surprise flitted across her features as she stammered, "Oh. Well… guess I'd better start dealing then." She turned to go back up the stairs then stopped and turned back to face him, "Sunday dinner? Your turn?"

He smiled, "Yeah. We switch off every week. Last Sunday was Xander's turn, next Sunday it'll be at Rupert's, then Red's. We've been doin' it for years."

"Oh." She turned around and took a step then spun and faced him again, "What's wrong with you?"

His eyes went wide, "Wrong with me? What're you on about?"

She put her hands on her hips, "Oh, I don't know, Spike. I just thought maybe you'd be a little happier that I'm back, seeing as how you **love** me and everything, but you act like you don't even care! You're living in **my** house and making dinner for **my** friends and taking care of **my** sister and I'm just supposed to what? Accept all this?"

He waved his hand angrily toward her, "And there she is! The Slayer we all know and lo…" He ran his hand through his messy curls and glared up at her. "I was startin' to wonder what'd happened to you, what with all the apologizin' and actually bein' **nice** to me. I'm sorry I haven't lived up to your expectations, although what they are is anybody's guess, but I'm **not** sorry that the Scoobies finally like and accept me. That took some doin', by the by. Probably helped that Niblet was so bloody pushy 'bout includin' me in everything. Guess she saw somethin' in me that you never did. She wouldn't hear a bad word against me and she lined out anyone that did say anythin'. Harris and the Watcher took the brunt of her wrath, 'cause they couldn't see past my demon and just wouldn't shut their gobs about it. She didn't speak to Harris for nearly six months the last time he opened his fool mouth and jammed his foot in it up to the bloody knee. Took him the longest to come 'round, but he finally did and now we're proper mates who'd die for each other."

The alarm clock on the nightstand started blaring and he reached over and angrily smacked the off button then looked back over at her. "I finally have a family, Slayer. People who care about me and help me and **like** spendin' time with me. None of 'em use me for their own ends then beat the shit out of me and leave me lie. Do you remember what you told me right before you left me beaten to a pulp in that alley? You should, seein' that for you it was only a day or so ago. You told me that there was nothin' good or clean in me. That I was dead inside. That you could never…"

He stopped and swallowed hard then took a deep breath, "I found out that I'm worth more than beggin' for scraps of affection from someone who's ashamed of her feelings for me, ashamed of **me**. I've changed, Slayer. You're still the same." He swung his feet around and scooted to the edge of the bed, pulling the blanket to keep himself covered. "And actually, it's **my** house. My name's on the deed, courtesy of Angel. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get my kit on, I've a dinner to make. Your next round of Kick the Spike's gonna have to wait."

Buffy was completely dumbstruck. She goggled at him, her mouth hanging open as he sat on the edge of the bed and glared back at her. "What? Got nothin' to say, Slayer? You were always pretty free with the abuse. No insults to toss my way? Not even a _Shut up, Spike_? Nothin'?"

She spun and sprinted up the stairs, slamming the door behind her, then pounded through the dining room and up the stairs to her room. She slammed that door as well and threw herself on the bed, burying her face in her pillow. She sobbed quietly, not wanting Spike to hear, until her pillow was soaked and her sobs had been reduced to hitching breaths. She threw her wet pillow across the room with a growl then flipped over on her back and stared at the ceiling. She could hear Spike moving around her kitchen. '_Excuse me, **his** kitchen.'_ An ache started forming in her gut. '_He doesn't want me anymore. He doesn't need me. He doesn't love me._'

She fisted her hands and dug them into her eyes, trying to hold back the tears, but they leaked out anyway and dripped down her face, soaking into her hair. She growled at the ceiling, "God, if I hadn't already killed all those fucking demons, I'd kill them again for screwing up my life!"

A little thought niggled its way through her brain. '_If it weren't for those demons, you would've never admitted that you love him, Buffy. You should be thanking them, not threatening to kill them.' _ She shouted, "SHUT UP!" then clapped her hands over her mouth as all the noise from the kitchen stopped. She heard him walk through the dining room and stop at the foot of the stairs. '_Please don't come up here.' _ She waited, not moving, not breathing, until she heard him walk back through the dining room and into the kitchen, then she climbed out of bed and started digging in the back of her closet.

She pulled out a large duffel bag and started stuffing clothes and shoes into it. She tugged a blanket off her closet shelf then grabbed her pillow from the corner where it had landed and stuffed them in. She swept the photos off her dresser with one arm and clutched them to her chest, then walked over and let them drop into the bag. She tossed Mr. Gordo into the bag then walked into the bathroom and started digging in the pockets of her slime crusted pants. "Shit! My money is in my stupid coat which is on the stupid floor by the stupid front door!" Her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to figure out a way to get her coat without letting Spike know what she was up to.

She shook her head and muttered, "Yeah, there's no way. Freaking vampire senses. I wish I had a piggy bank or…" Her eyes lit up and she threw the pants down then walked back into her room and pulled the top drawer of her dresser out, feeling for something on the underside. "Aha!" She pulled the envelope free of the tape holding it in place and pushed the drawer back in. '_Mom's emergency envelope.' _She opened the envelope and counted the cash nestled inside. $400. Not enough to get her very far, but at least she'd be out of Sunnydale. '_He doesn't want me? Fine. I'll go. I'll leave him to **his** house and **his** family. They all seem to have gotten along just fine without me for the last ten years, so I'll just let them keep on with it. Nothing like being gone for a decade only to come back and find out you're not needed anymore. By anyone.'_

She stuck her head out into the hallway to listen for Spike. He was still puttering around the kitchen. She quietly pushed her door closed and locked it then sat down at her desk to write a note. She closed her eyes; thinking about what she wanted to say, then took a deep breath, opened them, and started writing. The words flowed across the paper and by the time she was done, tears were leaking out of her eyes and dripping down her face. She swiped her hand across her face and laid the paper on the pile of clothes on her bed, then put on her socks and shoes and pulled a heavy jacket out of her closet. She slung the duffel bag over her back then squeezed through her window and climbed down to the lawn, trying not to make any noise. '_Never snuck out of the house during the day before.'_ She stood under Spike's stalking tree and looked at the house for a long minute, then set the strap a little more comfortably on her shoulder and started for the bus station.


	9. Chapter 9  The Note

Coming Through

Chapter Nine – The Note

Spike checked the roast in the oven and adjusted the timer then turned and looked over the kitchen. '_Just need to toss the salad and set the table. Everything else is ready.'_ He wiped his hands on a dishtowel then pulled his smokes from his pocket and shook one out. He was about to light it when he remembered Buffy. He stepped to the kitchen door and walked out onto the porch, lighting his cigarette as he dropped down into his favorite chair. '_I should go talk to her. Find out what she was shoutin' about earlier.' _He sighed. '_And_ _I should probably apologize for bein' a complete prat while I'm up there.'_

He'd woken as soon as she'd opened the basement door and crept down the stairs. He was about to say something, but decided to wait and see what she would do. When she'd sat down and just stared at him he was confused. He'd expected her to throw something at him to wake him up like she used to. He'd rolled over and made sure that the sheet fell off him just to see what her reaction would be. Sure enough, he could smell her arousal after a few seconds of looking at his naked arse and then she'd moaned. '_So she still wants me, but does she want **me** or just my body?' _He'd been amused at first when her eyes had followed his hand and then watched him hungrily as he licked his lips, but his amusement had soon turned to annoyance. '_Eye candy. That's all I am. She's disgusted with herself for wantin' me. Hell, she's told me that often enough, but she can't stay away, even though for her it's only been a couple of days since we last shagged.' _

He sighed again then took a long drag on his smoke. '_Been a lot longer for me. Scenting her as she sat on the stairs… bugger. It was all I could do to keep Willy junior leashed. 'S part of the reason I rolled over. I should go to her. Bet she'd shag me. She was ready to downstairs.'_

He started to stand up, then frowned and dropped back into the chair. '_But is that all I want? Just a shag? To go back to bein' her dirty little secret? Lettin' her use me as a fuck toy just so she can feel? Havin' to see the look of disgust on her face as she gathers her kit and runs out?'_

He ran his hand through his hair. '_No. I want **more** than that. I'm **worth** more than that. I'm not goin' back to the way things were; lettin' her treat me like dirt on the off chance she might actually smile at me or touch me with somethin' besides a fist. I want her to love me and not be ashamed of it.'_

He looked thoughtfully at the kitchen door. '_Could she? Niblet seems to think that she loved me when she disappeared. And she has been well… nice… mostly. She hasn't punched me once since she came back, hasn't even acted like she wanted to. I think this is the longest amount of time I've ever spent with the chit without havin' a broken nose to show for it. Now that she knows that her friends all accept me, could she finally admit to herself how she feels? That's what was holdin' her back; the fear of how her friends would react to us bein' together, to her havin' feelings for a soulless demon. I need to talk to her. Find out what's going on under that shampoo commercial hair of hers.'_

He stubbed out his cigarette and walked quickly through the house and up the stairs to Buffy's room. He listened at the door for a few seconds, but didn't hear anything except the breeze blowing through the tree outside her window. He knocked quietly on the door. "Buffy?" There were no sounds coming from her room – other than the tree – no sounds at all. He sniffed deeply and frowned. '_She's not in there. No heartbeat and her scent's faded.' _He looked down the stairs at the front door and ran a hand through his hair. '_I'm sure I would've heard her leave.' _He tried the knob, but it was locked. With a low snarl, he broke the doorknob off and slowly pushed the door open.

The first thing he noticed was the open window and the slight breeze rustling the curtains. The pile of clothes was still on her bed, but her closet looked like it'd been ransacked. Empty hangers pointed every which way and the large blanket that had been on the shelf was gone. A strong breeze blew through the window and a piece of paper fluttered out from under the bed and brushed across his bare foot. He bent down and picked it up, about to crumple it and toss it in the trash when he noticed his name at the top. He read the first few words then stumbled as his legs suddenly went completely boneless. He pulled out the desk chair then dropped into it with a thud and continued reading.

_Spike,_

_First things first. I love you. And I'm sorry. Not sorry that I love you, but sorry that I treated you the way I did and for all the times I hurt you. I know you've probably passed out from shock right about now, either because I said I love you or because I apologized, maybe both, but I hope that you believe me._

_I **do** love you, and I understand why you don't love me anymore, and I don't blame you. I was horrible to you for so long and you're right. You are worth more. More than me. You have a good life now. You're respected and surrounded by family, and I'm sorry I intruded on that, so I'm going to go somewhere else and let you enjoy your life._

_I know it's a lot to ask, considering our history, but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell the others that I came back. They all seem happy with their lives now, judging by all you've told me, and I don't want to ruin that for them since they've all forgotten about me. None of you need me anymore. I get it._

_I'll be fine on my own, so don't worry. I hope you have a happy life and please know that I'm not ashamed of you. I'm proud of you. You kept your promise to me by taking care of Dawn and I'm grateful that she has you in her life. You're a good man and I wish things had worked out differently, but it is what it is._

_Feel free to pack up my room. Either trash it or donate it or keep it, whatever you want. I won't be back._

_Please give everyone a hug for me. Well, except Giles and Xander, you know, unless you want to._

_I love you and please be happy._

_Buffy_

Tears were streaming down his face as he finished reading the note. '_She **loves** me? Buffy loves **me**?'_

He jumped to his feet and dashed down the stairs, stuffing the note into his pocket as he pounded toward the front door. '_She can't be that far off. I heard her movin' around upstairs just over an hour ago.' _He threw open the front door then sprinted across the porch and down the steps. He was pounding across the yard toward the street when he noticed the burning. "Bloody Hell!" He spun and sprinted back into the house, slamming the door behind him, then danced around the hallway, furiously trying to pat out the flames licking at his arms and shoulders. Cursing a blue streak, he started pulling his burning shirt off in pieces, leaving a smoking trail of cloth as he ran up the stairs and darted into the bathroom. He jumped into the tub and turned the tap on full blast, yelping loudly when the cold water hit his burning flesh. When all the flames were out and he'd stopped smoking, he turned off the water and stepped out of the tub.

He stripped out of his jeans, dropping them to the tile floor with a wet plop, and then remembered the note. He drew in a breath and held it as he carefully pulled the note from his pocket, then let his breath out in a rush when he saw that it hadn't gotten very wet. A few words were a little blurred, but still readable. He laid it flat on the counter and carefully blotted it with a towel until it was barely damp.

He looked down at himself and cringed at the severely burned skin covering most of both arms. The backs of his hands were a bright, angry red and his fingers and palms were a little singed from trying to put himself out. He gently prodded the skin on his shoulders and upper back and only winced a few times. '_Guess the shirt protected most of that area_.' He ran his fingers through his sopping curls and didn't feel any large missing patches or too many crusty bits, so it looked like his hair had made it through mostly unscathed. '_Sometimes having no reflection really sucks balls.' _His legs and arse didn't get burned at all, and his manly bits were in fine working order. He gently prodded a few large burned patches on his chest and stomach, then reached around to his lower back, wincing as the skin pulled tight on his arm. '_Ok, low back is all right.'_

He quickly dried himself off, patting lightly at his charred skin, then gently picked up the note and his dripping jeans and headed downstairs. '_Way to go, Spike, ya barmy git. Find out the woman you love actually loves you back and what's the first thing you do? Almost dust yourself. Yeah, I'm a bright one, I am.'_

He used the wet jeans to make sure the bits of smoking shirt were completely extinguished as he made his way down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he glanced at the clock in the living room and scowled. '_The gang's gonna be here soon. Need to get this cleaned up and find somethin' to cover my arms. Don't know how I'd explain settin' myself on fire without lettin' the Buffy cat out of the bag. Then I have to try to get rid of my guests as soon as I politely can so I can go search for her. At least she won't be able to get out of Sunnydale tonight, no buses or trains run this late on a Sunday and hopefully she won't be stupid enough to hitchhike.'_

He jogged down to the basement, tossing his jeans in the general direction of the washer as he headed around the corner to his wardrobe. He laid the note carefully on the shelf above his shirts then pulled on a clean pair of jeans. He absently pulled a shirt off a hanger then looked angrily at his arms. '_Bollocks. This won't work.' _He tossed the shirt on his bed then walked over to the laundry area, kicking his wet jeans along in front of him, and started digging through the pile of clothes that other people had left at his house for whatever reason. Most of them belonged to the witches, but he happened on a shirt of Xander's, pulled it out of the pile and shook it out. '_Red flannel. Fantastic. It'd probably be easier to explain the soddin' burns.'_

He slipped into the shirt and had to roll up the sleeves so he could use his hands. '_Harris and his bleedin' ape arms.' _He jogged back upstairs and quickly scooped up the bits of burnt t-shirt and dumped them into the kitchen trash. He snagged the dishtowel off the counter and wiped up the ashes, soot, and drops of water. He looked around the foyer then up the stairs and nodded. '_Got it all.'_ He opened the basement door and pitched the dishtowel down the stairs, then pulled plates out of the cupboard and started to set the table.

He'd just placed the last fork when he heard the kitchen door open and Xander call out, "Luuuccyyy! I'm hooome!"

He chuckled as he walked toward the kitchen and heard Anya. "His name is Spike, not Lucy. Besides, Lucy is a girl's name and Spike is all male."

Xander sighed, "I know, Ahn."

He was about to push the kitchen door open when there was a knock at the front door. He turned and walked back through the dining room and had his hand on the knob when his bare foot brushed against something on the floor. He looked down and drew in a quick breath. '_Buffy's coat! Bugger!'_ He bunched it into the corner behind the door then pulled the door open, being careful to stay out of the sun this time. "Red, Glinda. Nice to see you ladies."

Willow stepped inside and looked him over then pulled him into a hug, making him grit his teeth as the shirt rubbed over his burned chest and stomach. "Hi, Spike. You look different." She backed up and picked at his shirt. "Isn't this Xan's shirt?"

Spike chuckled, "Yeah. Uh… laundry day."

She smiled and took a casserole dish from Tara then started for the kitchen. Tara stepped forward and pulled him into a tight hug, "I like it. Looks good on you, Spike."

He held back a wince as her head pressed on the burned patch on his chest, then squeezed her carefully, mindful of his burned arms. "Ta, Glinda. You look beautiful, as always."

She blushed and ducked her head just a bit then scurried off after Willow. He waited until they were through the kitchen door then snatched up Buffy's coat and crammed it into the weapons chest in the living room. He glanced around the foyer and up the stairs then nodded again. '_Now I've got it all. This is gonna be a bloody long afternoon.'_


	10. Chapter 10 Denied

Coming Through

Chapter Ten - Denied

"What do you mean there aren't any buses until tomorrow morning?"

The attendant looked at her with disdain then said in a snippy voice, "Just that. No buses 'till tomorrow."

Buffy growled as she turned away from the window and walked out the front door of the bus station. '_Great. What am I supposed to do now? Way to plan, Buffy. I can't go home, I can't get out of town, and I can't go to any of my friends.' _She patted the pocket with her money in it and frowned. '_I could get a motel room I guess, but I need to make this last as long as possible. At least until I can get somewhere and get a job.'_

She stood in front of the bus station for a few minutes, considering her options, then set off down the street. '_Guess I'll get something to eat and find a place to sleep for the night. A motel is out, but Sunnydale is full of cemeteries, and if Spike could live in a crypt for years, I guess I can camp out in one for a night.' _Tears pricked at her eyes as she thought of Spike and she angrily swiped at her face. '_He doesn't love you, Buffy, so stop thinking about him.' _The agony at that thought twisted her gut and she had to stop walking and take a few deep breaths to keep herself from puking all over the sidewalk. '_I wonder if this is how he felt all those times I told him I could never love him because he's a soulless thing. Yeah, I'm gonna say it again. I'm a bitch.'_

She started walking again with her head down, not noticing the tears leaking out of her eyes.

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Spike walked into the kitchen and smirked at Xander's surprised look, "What, whelp?"

Xander was standing next to the island with his arm around a very pregnant Anya, "You're wearing my shirt."

Spike chuckled, "Don't read anything into it, Harris. Been a bit lax with my housekeepin' lately. The vamps I dusted last night managed to shred my last clean shirt and this was all I could find this morning. It was either this or one of Red's flowery dresses."

Xander laughed in relief, "Oh good. I was thinking you maybe had a secret crush on me or something, because I **am** all with the numminess, and I was trying to figure out how to let you down easy without becoming vamp chow."

Spike smirked, "I wouldn't eat you, whelp. Not with all the fatty food you eat. All that cholesterol is bad for my heart, you know."

Xander laughed while Willow looked at Spike appraisingly and then smiled at Tara, "Spike would look beautiful in a dress, don't you think? Especially if it was blue. It would really bring out his eyes."

Everyone burst into laughter as they pictured Spike in a dress, and he shot the lot of them the two finger salute as he walked over to the stove. "I'm not puttin' on a dress for you people, so just get that idea right out of your soddin' heads. I'll go starkers first."

Now it was Anya's turn to look at him appraisingly. She leered at him and Spike smiled back then turned to check on his roast, feeling Anya's eyes crawling over his back and bum. He said without straightening up, "Handle your woman, whelp. She's undressin' me with her eyes, I can feel it."

Xander yelped, "Ahn!"

She looked up at him indignantly, "What? He's very nice to look at, especially when he's wearing your shirt, and I have all these hormones, and you didn't give me any orgasms this morning!"

Xander pulled her quickly toward the dining room as he mumbled, "We've talked about this, Ahn. No ogling the evil undead, or at least no talking about ogling the evil undead."

Anya stopped in the doorway and put her hands on her hips, "It doesn't matter who I look at, Alexander Lavelle Harris. You're the only one I want to give me orgasms. Besides you have that box full of naked magazines! So who's ogling now? Huh? And Spike's not evil; he hasn't been for a long time."

Xander blushed a deep crimson and tugged Anya through the door, "I know that, Ahn." The door swung shut behind them, turning their voices into low murmurs.

Willow and Tara were giggling as Spike straightened up and turned around. "The roast is done. Red, could you grab the salad and stuff out of the fridge?" She nodded and opened the fridge then pulled out two platters of food and carried them into the dining room.

Tara stepped up beside Spike and handed him a set of pot holders, "Anything I can do to help?"

Spike nodded as he took the pot holders and opened the oven door. "Could you grab me somethin' to dish the roast onto and a bowl or somethin' for the veg? There's a platter in that cupboard over there and the bowls are in the cupboard next to it."

Tara smiled, "I know, Spike." She started to move past him and brushed against his arm. He managed to bite back the hiss, but visibly flinched as the fabric of Xander's shirt rubbed harshly against his burned flesh. Tara paused and looked at him strangely, then continued to the cupboard as Willow breezed back into the kitchen and grabbed a pitcher of lemonade and the bowl of salad out of the fridge.

Tara watched Willow push through the kitchen door as Spike set the roasting pan on top of the stove, pushing the oven door shut with his leg. She placed the platter and bowl on the counter next to the stove then lightly laid her hand on his arm. He managed not to flinch as she asked, "Are you all right, Spike?"

He smiled at her, "Yeah, Glinda, I'm fine. Aside from havin' to wear this bloody awful shirt."

She moved her hand around to grip the back of his arm then started sliding the sleeve up. He tried to pull his arm from her grasp, but she held fast and gasped when she saw his charred flesh. "Goddess, Spike! What happened?"

He tugged his sleeve down and took a step back when she released his arm. "It's nothin', pet. Just got a little too friendly with Mr. Sunshine a while ago. I'll be fine."

She gazed at him intently, her eyes glazing over just a bit, and then she frowned. "Something's happened to you. Your aura is swirling with anxiety… almost panic… and… something else…" She smiled, "Happiness. Blissful happiness." She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, then leaned up and whispered, "Why would you be so happy that your aura is almost blinding me with it and be panicking at the same time?"

Spike cocked an ear to the dining room, listening intently, then nodded to himself and took Tara's hand. He pulled her through the basement door then quickly tugged her down the stairs. When they reached the bottom he turned to face her, grasping her arms in a tight grip, and whispered, "I need you to keep what I'm about to tell you a secret. The others can't know. Not yet. Promise me, Tara."

Her eyes widened at his use of her given name, hinting at the seriousness of what he was about to tell her. "I promise, Spike."

He took a deep breath, "Buffy's back."

Her eyes widened even more and she gasped loudly. "Buffy? Where is she? Is she all right?"

He nodded, "Yeah… I think so. She ran out of here an hour or so ago and I don't know where she's gone. That's why I'm anxious. She… um… we… had a bit of a row and she left." He walked over to his wardrobe and plucked the note from the top shelf then handed it to Tara. "She left this. She disappeared ten years ago 'cause she followed a G'vark demon into a portal and for her she's only been gone a few hours. I got burned 'cause I ran out the front door into the bloody sunlight to find her after I read that."

Tara's eyes fell to the piece of paper in her hand, then her other hand flew out to brace herself on the wall as her legs suddenly lost their ability to hold her up. Spike grasped her arms and lowered her gently to the stairs then sat down beside her. Tears started spilling out of her eyes as she read the note and she was sobbing by the time she was done. She let her hand drop and leaned into Spike, burying her face in his shirt as his arm came up around her shoulders and pulled her close. "She thinks we've forgotten about her? That we don't need her?"

Spike murmured into her hair, "Yeah."

Tara's arms wrapped around Spike's middle and squeezed him tight. "She loves you, Spike. You have to find her."

"I know, pet. I know."


	11. Chapter 11 Wow Expensive

Coming Through

Chapter Eleven – Wow… Expensive

The burger, fries, and soda she bought at the Double Meat Palace took almost ten dollars of her meager supply of cash. She frowned at the sullen clerk, wearing the requisite goofy hat, then carried her tray to a table in the corner and set it down with a thud. She lifted the small burger and picked up a limp fry then frowned even deeper at the offending food. '_When did stuff get so expensive? This same meal was barely five dollars when I worked here. Stupid portal.'_

She walked to the condiment bar and got a few packets of ketchup and a straw then walked back over to her table and dropped into the chair. She glanced over at the counter and thanked whoever might be listening for the high employee turnover rate in the fast food industry. '_At least nobody recognized me. I shouldn't have come here, but I thought it would be the cheapest place in town. It used to be.'_

She tore open her ketchup packets and squeezed out the red paste onto her tray, then dipped a fry into it and stuffed it into her mouth. She was staring blankly out the window as she worked her way through her tasteless burger when she was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of her name.

"…Summers?"

She turned to see a small, dark-haired woman standing next to her table, "Sorry… what?"

"Aren't you Buffy Summers?"

She put down her burger and wiped her mouth with her napkin, "Uh… yeah. I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are."

The girl smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Alyson Tanner. I was two years behind you at Sunnydale High."

Buffy offered her a weak smile and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you… uh… again, Alyson."

Alyson sat down in the chair opposite Buffy and propped her elbows on the table. "So, are you finally moving back? You just dropped off the map about ten years ago. A lot of us wondered where you went."

Buffy frowned, "Oh, um… I've just been… uh… traveling, but no, I'm not moving back. I'm just visiting. I'm leaving again tomorrow." '_Because I have a vampire living in what used to be my house that doesn't want me around._'

"Oh. Well, that sounds like fun and it sure agrees with you. You look exactly the same! If I didn't know better, I'd swear you haven't aged a day in ten years!"

Buffy smiled. '_Benefits of hanging out in a demon dimension, Alyson. I wouldn't recommend it, though. Really screws with your life.' _"Thanks. You look great too."

Someone called to Alyson from the counter and she turned and waved at them then turned back to Buffy. "Well, it was nice seeing you again. Don't stay away so long this time!"

Buffy shook her hand again and then patted her awkwardly on the back when Alyson bent down and squeezed Buffy in a quick hug. "I won't. I'll be back soon. Nice talking to you."

Alyson waved at her then took a bag of food from a young man next to the counter and they walked out of the restaurant, holding hands and laughing. The young man opened the door of a sporty little red car, then bent down and gently kissed Alyson before he helped her into the seat. Buffy sighed. '_Well, this day just keeps getting better and better. Now I've got to watch people being all lovey dovey and couply while I'm trying not to think about… a certain bleach blond vampire who will not be named.' _She poked angrily at her cold burger then took a long drink of her soda. She picked up the burger and looked at it then dropped it on the tray and stood up, suddenly not hungry anymore. She carried the tray to the trash and dumped the contents then walked slowly out of the restaurant, sipping at her soda.

She walked around to the back of the building and dug her bag out of the bushes she'd hid it in, then settled the strap and started walking across town toward the oldest cemetery in Sunnydale. '_Nobody should bother me there. They don't bury anyone there anymore, so there shouldn't be any baby vamps to deal with, and hopefully he doesn't patrol there._'

She was crossing a quiet, tree-lined street, lost in thought, when she stopped suddenly and almost dropped her cup of soda in shock. '_Dawn's older than me now. My baby sister is **older** than me.' _She rolled her eyes skyward and heaved a giant sigh. '_Well, isn't that just the cherry on top of the shit sundae that is my life? The man I love doesn't love me anymore, my friends have forgotten all about me, and now I'm the younger sister.'_

She stood in the middle of the street, not moving for a long time, then suddenly turned and started walking quickly back the way she'd come. '_I need to talk to my Mom.'_

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The door at the top of the stairs opened and Willow poked her head in. "Tara?" She saw Spike and Tara sitting on the stairs, wrapped in each other's arms, and rushed down the steps. She stopped behind them and gasped when she saw the burned skin on Spike's arm. The shirt sleeve on the arm he had wrapped over Tara's shoulders had pulled up, exposing several inches of charred flesh. "Spike! What happened to your arm?" Tara looked up with her tear-stained face and Willow gasped again. "Baby? You all right?" Tara and Spike scooted over so Willow could sit next to her girlfriend. Willow wrapped her arms around both of them and whispered, "What's going on?"

Spike sighed and said in a quiet voice, "You're not gonna buy that nothing's wrong, are you, Red?"

She lifted her head away from Tara's shoulder and shook it, "No."

"And you won't let me try to sort it before I tell you what's going on, will you?"

Willow shook her head again, "No. Make with the spillage, Spike."

Spike sighed again and nodded toward the top of the stairs, "Let's go upstairs, yeah? Might as well tell the lot of you at once, since the bloody cat's out of the bloody bag. Don't fancy explainin' it half a dozen times."

Xander and Anya looked up in surprise as the three of them walked slowly into the dining room, one still crying, one trying not to, and one confused. Xander bolted to his feet and helped Tara into a chair as Spike pulled out the chair next to her for Willow. "What's going on? What happened to Tara?"

Spike dropped into his chair and propped his elbows on the table, then winced and dropped his hands to his lap. "Better sit down, Harris. Where's the Watcher?"

Xander walked back to his chair and sat down, "He's got the flu or something. He called earlier to tell me not to pick him up for dinner. Said he's been praying to the porcelain god all night."

Spike's eyebrow shot up, "Rupert said that? Rupert Giles?"

Xander chuckled then looked guiltily at Tara and stammered, "Uh… no. He said that he's been regurgitating nourishment or something. You know the G-man. I just boiled it down to what he meant. What's going on?"

Tara handed Spike the note and smiled weakly at him then nodded at the others, "Tell them, Spike."

Spike sighed as he folded the note and laid it on his plate, "All right. I've somethin' to tell you, and I know how you lot get, so just let me say my piece with no interruptions, yeah?" Everyone nodded and Spike ran his hands through his hair. "This mornin' after I got back from patrol, I had a visitor show up in my basement. It was Buffy." Mouths started opening and he held up his hand. "Just let me finish. Please."

Everyone stared at him with wide eyes as he continued, "The night she disappeared, she went through a G'vark demon portal. Time moves a lot slower in their dimension and she was there long enough to kill a pile of 'em. A few hours for her has been a decade for us. After she came back through the portal, she came home and found me in her basement. Scared me so bad that if my heart actually beat it would've stopped. We talked a bit, then ate, and talked a bit more. She knows how long she's been gone, and I told her all about you lot and what you're doin' now. We slept for a bit, then she woke me up and we had a bit of a row, and she scarpered while I was makin' dinner." He picked up the note and handed it to Willow. "She left this."

Willow opened the note and started reading. Tears were pouring down her face when she handed the note across the table to Anya, then turned to Tara and pulled her into a fierce hug. Xander leaned close to Anya and they read it together. Anya was openly sobbing when she handed it back to Spike, and Xander had a strained expression on his face and kept blinking and swallowing. Anya leaned into him, wrapping her arms around him, and whispered, "It's ok, Xander. You can let it go." He buried his face in her neck as his shoulders shook with silent sobs.

Spike looked around the table at the four sniffling and sobbing humans and smiled sadly, barely keeping his own tears at bay. "Do I know how to throw a dinner party, or don't I?"

Tara looked up at him with a watery smile and wiped her face, "We should find her. We could do a locator spell."

Xander lifted his face from Anya's neck, unmindful of the tears streaking down it, "Should we call Dawn? What about Giles and Dead Boy?"

Spike shook his head, "Let's hold off on that for a bit, yeah? Till we find her? She didn't even want me to tell you lot that she was back, and I was gonna try to honor that, for a while at least, but Glinda here found me out."

Anya looked up at him as she wiped her face, "How? Did she do something witchy?"

Spike chuckled and pulled up a sleeve, "No. She bumped my arm."

Xander's eyes got huge, "Geez, Bleach Boy! What the hell happened? Did Buffy do that to you?"

Spike shook his head, "No. Buffy didn't do anythin' to me. I almost dusted my own stupid git self. Ran right out the front door soon as I read that note. Didn't even notice the bleedin' sun was still up 'til I was almost to the street."

Xander chuckled, "Guess you forgot about that tunnel my guys dug for you out of the basement too."

Spike grinned, "Yeah. My only thought was findin' Buffy, and out the front door was the most direct way to do that."

Willow stood up and pulled Tara up beside her, "We'll get the stuff ready for a locator spell. How long ago did she leave?"

Spike's brow furrowed in concentration, "Little over two hours now. There's no buses or trains out of town today, so unless she hitched, she should still be close."

Xander wiped his face with his sleeve as he stood up, "If she hitched, she could be almost to LA by now. She might be heading for Dead Boy's place. I've got a map of California at my office. I'll go get it."

Willow and Tara followed him toward the front door and Tara called over her shoulder, "We'll be back in a little while, Spike. We have to go to the shop."

Anya called out, "Make sure to write down everything you take! For inventory!"

Spike smirked at her as he stood, "Don't worry, pet. I'll pay for the supplies." Anya nodded at him as if she expected nothing less then picked up her glass and filled it with lemonade from the pitcher in the middle of the table. Spike followed Xander and the witches to the front door to see them out, "Thanks. All of you. It means a lot."

Tara stopped then turned around and twined his fingers with hers, squeezing gently. "We'll find her, Spike."


	12. Chapter 12 Clem

Coming Through

Chapter Twelve – Clem

Joyce's grave had been well maintained in her absence. '_Probably Spike. He really liked my Mom.' _Buffy dropped to her knees in front of the headstone and slipped the strap of her duffel off her shoulder then pushed it away. '_Sorry, Mom. Didn't mean to set my bag on you. It's bad enough I'm kneeling on you, I guess.'_

She sat down and crossed her legs, then just sat and stared at her Mom's headstone for a while. When she started speaking, her voice was quiet and soft, "Hi, Mom. I know I haven't been to see you for a really long time, but I went to a demon dimension and…" Tears started leaking from her eyes. "I really screwed up, Mom. You remember Spike, right? Of course you do. Anyway, he loves me Mom… or he used to… and God! I treated him so bad. He told me he loved me right before you… died. I know, I know. Vampire. And after the whole Angel thing, I know why you'd feel that way, but he's different, Mom. He's… good. Even without a soul. And I know you always liked him. He took care of Dawnie while I was gone… and… he changed. Right before I left, I beat him up really bad and told him I could never be his girl, and then when I got back I thought I'd killed him, and I realized that I love him. The whole _don't know what you've got 'till it's gone_ thing, I guess. I'd actually loved him for a while, but I couldn't let myself… you know? Vampire. No soul. I'm the Slayer, Mom. I'm not supposed to fall in love with a soulless vampire, but I did, and I treated him like shit because I loved him and couldn't admit it, and I somehow made that his fault."

She reached out and twisted her fingers into the thick grass covering her mother's grave. "I know I've already been gone for ten years, but I'm leaving again, Mom. The Hellmouth is closed, the Slayer's in Cleveland, and nobody here needs me anymore. Spike's taking care of things and all my friends are helping him. No, Mom, I can't go to him and tell him that I love him now. I left him a note, but I can't face him. I couldn't take seeing the look in his eyes when he tells me to _bugger off _or worse. What if he just laughs at me? God! He doesn't love me anymore and you know how freaking stubborn he is. He's made up his mind about me, and he won't change it just because I changed mine. It's hopeless, Mom. I had my chance and I blew it because I couldn't just listen to my heart."

She sat for a long time, tears dripping slowly down her face, until she was startled by the sound of something walking up behind her. She jumped to her feet and spun around, landing in a fighting stance with her fists clenched in front of her.

The large, wrinkly demon yelped and jumped backwards, "Woah! Sorry, Slayer!"

She dropped her hands and straightened up with a weak smile, "Clem? What are you doing here?"

He grinned, "I was on my way home and I smelled you. Thought I'd come ask if you found what you were looking for this morning or if you still needed help."

Her face twisted in confusion, "Huh? Looking for? … And again with the… Huh?"

He motioned toward something behind him, "When you were in my crypt. I figured you were looking for Spike, since he lived there when you left. He lives in your house now."

She smiled as her confusion eased somewhat, "Oh… uh… yeah. I found him, thanks. Um… how did you know I was in your crypt?" He opened his mouth and she held up her hand and chuckled, "Wait… you smelled me, right?"

He nodded and grinned back, his ears flapping. "So how did you like the G'vark dimension? I hear they have huge kittens. Did you see any?"

Her look of confusion was back in full force. "Have you seen Spike today?"

He shook his head, "No, but we've got Court tomorrow and poker on Wednesday, so I'll see him then."

A wave of exhaustion suddenly washed over her as she frowned up at the demon. "Ok, Clem. Make with the splainy. How did you know I was in the G'vark dimension if you haven't seen Spike?"

He motioned toward her feet with a grin, "You tracked G'vark slime all through my crypt."

She blushed and mumbled, "Oh. Sorry about that."

He smiled and shrugged, "No problem. It's actually pretty easy to clean up. So… ten years?"

She nodded as her shoulders slumped, "Yeah. Ten years. What a difference a decade makes, huh?" She turned around and whispered, "Bye, Mom. I love you," then picked up her bag and slung it onto her back as she turned back to Clem. "It was nice to see you, but I should probably go."

He took a step back, looking at her huge duffel curiously. "Um… ok. Could you tell Spike that I'll bring the kittens on Wednesday, and it's his turn to make the drinks? I might not get the chance to talk to him much at Court."

She frowned as she shook her head, "Um… I'm not going to see Spike… so, I'm sorry, but I can't tell him."

She sniffled loudly as she turned to go and Clem asked, "Are you ok, Slayer?"

She stopped and looked up at him, surprised by the look of concern on his face, then shook her head, "No. I'm not ok at all."

Clem looked at her bag and the tears on her face then quietly asked, "You need someplace to stay?" She nodded mutely and he reached out to take her arm and started gently guiding her toward his home.

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Spike stepped back into the dining room just in time to see Anya double over in pain. She screamed as a huge amount of liquid suddenly gushed out of her and poured onto the floor under her chair. He jumped back from the splashing fluid and shouted, "Bloody hell, woman!"

Anya looked up at him, her hair hanging in her face, and grunted out, "The baby is ready to come out of me, Spike. All the amniotic fluid just gushed out of my vagina." She gripped the edge of the table and pushed herself back upright then leaned back in the chair and panted.

Spike stared at her and mumbled, "Yeah. Kinda noticed." Her face twisted in pain and she dropped her head, clenching her fists, as another scream echoed around the room. Spike rushed back to the front door, praying to whatever entity listens to vampires that the whelp or the witches heard that, but the driveway was distinctly lacking vehicles when he jerked open the door, "Bloody hell!"

"Spike!"

He slammed the door shut and rushed back into the dining room to see Anya struggling to gain her feet. He moved quickly toward her, grimacing as he stepped in the puddle, then gripped her arm and pulled her upright. "Now what?"

She looked up at him incredulously, "You don't know?"

He growled, "No, I don't know! Vampire here, not a bloody obstetrician!"

"You've never delivered a baby?"

He shook his head and tried to keep his voice calm through his rising panic. "Never even **seen** one delivered. Victorian era Englishman, pet. Society blokes back in those days didn't have anythin' to do with kids, 'sides for helpin' to make 'em, and vamps only care 'bout 'em as snacks."

Anya dropped her head and sighed, "Great."

Spike looked around, secretly hoping that someone… anyone… would pop in and tell him what to do with the panting, sweating human currently leaking all over his dining room floor. He shook his head and mentally squared his shoulders then started leading Anya out of the dining room. "Uh… you want the couch? Or… I could carry you up to Niblet's room?"

The thought that maybe he should call an ambulance or something floated to the top of his mind and he was reaching for the phone in his pocket when Anya suddenly clenched and doubled over. She reached for Spike's hand, squeezing it hard enough to make him wince, and all thoughts of doing anything with his phone flew right out of his head. He flinched when she screamed and he looked down at her, terror starting to creep over him as the tangy scent of her pain amped up several notches. When she straightened up she gasped, "Room."

He scooped her up gently; gritting his teeth against the pain from his arms, and carried her quickly up the stairs then deposited her lightly on Dawn's bed. She started to push herself to a sitting position and he gripped her shoulders, holding her down. "What're you doin'?"

She struggled against him for a few seconds then relaxed and gasped, "We need to get my clothes off. The baby wants out!"

He jerked his hands away and backed up until he hit the wall, eyeing her in terror. "You're gonna be starkers?"

Even in horrendous amounts of pain, she managed to give him a look that clearly said, "Duh." She swung her legs off the edge of the bed and worked herself to a sitting position, then tugged her shirt over her head and tossed it into the corner. His eyes widened as her bare breasts and huge belly were revealed and she said, "Yes, Spike. Now help me with these pants."

The commanding tone of her voice compelled him to step forward before he was even aware of what he was doing. She gripped his shoulders and pulled herself to her feet then clenched and screamed into his chest as she dug her nails into his skin through the shirt. "Ow! Bloody hell!"

She loosened her grip on his shoulders and barked, "Quit saying that and just get these pants off me!"

He reached out and tugged the pants down over her hips then helped her sit back down. He knelt down and pulled them off her feet, along with her shoes, then tossed everything over next to her shirt and stood back up, looking everywhere but at the almost naked woman on the bed. She turned and lay down and he jumped when she spoke, "Spike, you need to get my underwear off, too. The baby can't go through them."

He stepped up next to the bed and fumbled toward her belly, trying to locate the garment without actually looking at her. She gripped his hand and tugged on it until he looked down at her, "What is wrong with you? You're a vampire for Pete's sake! I'm sure I'm not the first naked woman you've ever seen! And besides, we've had sex!"

He stammered, "Uh… yeah, pet, but you weren't starkers then. 'S just… uh… oh balls!" He slipped his thumbs under the elastic band of her underwear and quickly slid them down her legs then tossed them on top of her other clothes. She pulled her legs up and let them fall open as her hands gripped her knees and her shoulders rose off the bed. Her scream spurred him into action and he darted to the closet, pulling the spare pillows off the shelf. He stuffed them behind her back just before she fell back against them.

She panted, "Look at my vagina and tell me if you see the head." He stood next to her, frozen in terror and unable to move until she barked, "Now, Spike!"

He took a step toward her feet then leaned over and peeked quickly, "Uh… no. Don't see a thing."

She rolled her eyes and pointed to the bed between her feet, "Sit there and look, dammit! Stop being such a man! You're going to have to help me get the baby out!"

He sat carefully on the end of the bed and peeked at her out of the corner of his eye. Her hands went back to her knees as another contraction hit, and his eyes widened in wonder as he turned to fully look at her. "I can see the head! Keep pushin', Demon Girl!" She grunted then relaxed against the pillows and the head disappeared from view. He looked up at her sweaty face, "It went back in. What should I do? Isn't this supposed to take longer?"

She shook her head, "Childbirth takes as long as it takes, Spike. Besides, I've been having contractions since last night. The next time you see the head, try to pull it out. Carefully."

He looked at her in complete shock and sputtered, "Well, this is just bloody fabulous! You know the whelp's gonna do more than just beat the shit out of me if he finds me here with you… like this… again. He'll bloody stake me, especially if I have my hands anywhere near your…" He motioned toward Anya's widely spread legs. "And you're in no condition to stop him from doin' it this time."

She raised her head off the pillows and growled, "I'm going to stake you if you don't get this thing out of me!" She dropped her head back to the pillows and panted. "Don't worry about Xander. You're not giving me orgasms this time, so I think he'll understand. And you don't have your chip anymore, so you would easily wipe the floor with him." Her belly clenched as another scream was torn from her throat. The head came back into view and Spike gritted his teeth and wrapped his hands around it, tugging gently and trying not to squeeze too hard.

One ear popped out just as Anya collapsed against the pillows, panting hard. "We've got one ear, Anya!" She smiled weakly as he slipped a finger down beside the ear and started working it around the head, trying to slide it further out. He felt the tiny nose as his finger traveled across the baby's forehead. Anya gripped her knees and pulled herself up just as his finger found the other ear. "Push, woman!" She bore down, grunting loudly, and the head popped the rest of the way out in a rush of bloody fluid. She collapsed against the pillows again as Spike looked at her frantically. "Fuck! You're bleeding!"

She panted, "That's normal, Spike. Did the head come out?"

He nodded, then realized that she had her eyes closed and said, "Yeah. Uh… I think one more push should do it." The baby's mouth was moving and its face was scrunched up like it was trying to cry, but no sound was coming out. Spike leaned over and looked into its mouth and saw a large puddle of blood and mucous pooled in the baby's throat. "Bloody hell! It can't breathe! We need to get the blood out of its mouth!"

She opened her eyes and looked at the panicked vampire. "You need to find something to suck out the mouth and nose. Anything that creates suction will work."

Spike jumped to his feet and raced down the stairs and into the kitchen, wiping his bloody hands on his shirt. He started jerking drawers out and dug frantically through the contents, spilling most of them to the floor. He jerked open one more drawer and it flew past the stops and halfway across the kitchen, utensils scattering everywhere. He spied what he was looking for arcing toward the back door and moved with vampire speed, plucking it neatly out of the air. He was just starting back up the stairs when Anya screamed.


	13. Chapter 13 His Name is Will

Coming Through

Chapter Thirteen – His Name is Will

Clem pushed the crypt door open and waited for Buffy to walk slowly through, then stepped in behind her and pushed it closed. She stood blinking in the sudden darkness then jumped when he flipped on the large lamp on the table next to the couch. "Uh… you want to sit down, Slayer?" She moved blankly toward the couch and dropped onto it with the duffel bag still slung across her back. Clem stepped up behind the couch and lifted the duffel bag gently; holding it above her until she'd untangled herself from the strap, then set it on the floor next to the wall. "You want something to drink? Um, I have soda… or…"

She turned to look at him and nodded, "Oh. Sure, Clem. That'd be great."

He pulled a can of soda out of his fridge and handed it to her, then backed up and perched nervously on the edge of a small loveseat on the other side of a large coffee table. Buffy opened the can and took a sip then looked around the room. "This place looks really good, Clem. You did a good job fixing it up."

He grinned, "Thanks. Spike helped me find a lot of the furniture. He's a really good friend."

Buffy looked up at him in surprise, "He is?"

Clem nodded, "Yeah. He asked me to move in here and take care of the place right after you disappeared. Dawnie had him staying at your house until he healed from that… uh… beating you gave him, and he didn't know how long he'd be there. I ended up staying when he moved into the house for good."

Buffy's face reddened in shame again and she looked down at her soda, "You must think I'm a horrible person for hurting Spike like that."

Clem shrugged, "He told me right after it happened that he probably deserved it."

Buffy blanched and gripped her soda tighter, "No. He didn't. He didn't deserve any of the terrible things I did to him."

Clem nodded and looked over at her bag, "So, where you going? You just got back; I thought you'd be with Spike."

She shook her head sadly as she pulled her legs up onto the couch and curled them under her, "No… um… he… uh… doesn't want me around anymore. He's finally happy, and I'm going to leave so he can keep being happy. It's the least I can do to try to make up for how much I hurt him."

Now it was Clem's turn to look surprised, "He told you to leave?"

She shook her head again, "Um… no. Not in so many words, but… he's different now. He's the Big Bad again, Master of the Hellmouth – whatever that means – and he doesn't need me anymore."

Clem looked over at the tired, broken woman sitting on his couch and a light clicked on in his head, "You love him, don't you?"

Buffy's head flew up and she goggled at him, "How did you know?"

Clem smiled, "Because you look just like he did for a long time after you disappeared."

XX

XXXX

XX

Xander walked into the kitchen and stopped dead, his eye widening as he took in the mess. "What happened in here?" He walked quickly through the dining room, dropping the map on the table on the way by. He didn't notice the puddle on the floor until he was pin wheeling his arms and trying to keep his balance as he slid through it, one foot in the air. His skating foot hit dry floor and he stumbled forward, catching himself by hooking one arm around the newel post at the bottom of the stairs. He turned around and was looking at the wet dining room floor in confusion when he heard low voices coming from upstairs. He jogged up them as he called out, "Anya? You up here?"

Her voice drifted out of Dawn's room, "In here, Xander!"

He pushed open the door and stopped dead again as his eye widened… again. A shirtless, blood covered Spike was sitting on the end of a bloody bed between his naked wife's bloody legs. She was clutching the red flannel shirt Spike had been wearing to her chest in a messy bundle while she smiled up at Xander.

He stomped forward, fists clenched as his gaze settled on the wide-eyed vampire who held up his hand as he stood up. "'S not what you think, Xander. I didn't do anythin' to your bird, so just calm down."

Anya reached up and tugged on Xander's fist, "Leave Spike alone. He helped me with the baby."

The word 'baby' snapped Xander out of his murderous haze and he looked down at his wife, "Baby?"

She beamed a smile up at him and gently unwrapped the bundle in her arms to reveal a pink, squirming infant. "Xander Harris, meet your son, Alexander William Harris."

Both of them completely missed Spike's wondrous expression as Anya scooted over far enough to let Xander sit down beside her as his eyes filled with tears, "My son?" He reached out and gently brushed a calloused finger down the baby's cheek, smiling when he turned his head toward the touch and started making sucking motions.

Spike stepped away from the bed and was headed for the door when Xander reached out and snagged his arm. He winced and hissed sharply as Xander's fingers tightened on his burned skin. Xander let go quickly and looked up at him. "Oh! Sorry." Spike nodded and started to step forward when Xander said, "Hold on, Spike. I just wanted to say thanks for helping Anya, and I'm sorry I freaked out. I should've known better, but I saw the blood, and Anya making with the naked, and my brain locked up. You know how I am. So, anyway… Sorry."

Spike smiled and nodded again then waved toward the door, "Um… it's ok, Harris. I'll go… uh… wait for the ambulance or something."

Xander's eye widened in fear. "Ambulance? Why do we need an ambulance?" He looked at Anya and the baby. "Are you ok? Is the baby ok?"

Anya nodded, "We're fine, Xander. I told him we didn't need an ambulance, but he called them anyway."

Spike laid his hand gently on Xander's shoulder, "I think they're both fine, Xan, but Anya's still bleeding a little and I thought it'd be best to have the doc take a look at her. I called for 'em a few minutes ago, so they should be here shortly. You just wait here and I'll bring 'em up, yeah?"

Xander nodded distractedly, still looking over his wife and son, "Yeah. I'll… uh... wait here."

Spike nodded and stepped out into the hallway then headed down the stairs. He peeked through the window in the front door and saw the ambulance pulling into the driveway just behind Willow's car. Willow and Tara climbed out of the car and stared at the EMTs as they pulled the gurney from the back of the ambulance and started toward the house. Spike pulled open the door and backed out of the sunlight as they reached the porch. "Bird's upstairs. You want me to bring 'er down?"

The woman at the front of the gurney shook her head, "No sir, we'll go up." She looked over Spike's bloody torso and burned arms as she stepped into the house. "Do you need medical assistance, sir?"

Spike shook his head in confusion, "Uh… no. Not me. Anya."

The woman pointed at his arms, "Are you sure? Those look like third degree burns."

Spike looked down at his arms, having completely forgotten about them for the moment. "Oh… that … uh… I'm fine. Really. Just see to Anya, please. I'll… uh… get myself to hospital after she's sorted."

Willow and Tara walked through the door after the gurney and Tara stepped up beside Spike and wrapped her arm around his waist. "I'll make sure he goes. I promise."

Willow stepped to his other side and wrapped her arm over Tara's, "Me too. We'll drag him there if we have to."

The EMT didn't look entirely convinced, but she shrugged and lifted the front of the gurney to carry it up the stairs. "Make sure he takes care of those burns or they'll get infected."

The man at the back of the gurney snorted, "No they won't, Kathy. That's Spike, Master of Sunnydale. He's the one who buys all our expired blood from the blood bank. He'll heal up just fine in about three days." He turned and smiled at Spike as he started up the stairs, "Sunlight?"

Spike smirked and nodded, "Yeah, mate. Thought you felt familiar, didn't cotton to who you were at first. You've got a new look. When did you start this gig, Marcus?"

Marcus shrugged, "Few weeks ago. I'm training to get my certification. Working at the blood bank doesn't pay enough, and they won't let me get another job, so I got a second look so I could. We've got a batch of blood going to expire on Tuesday. See you then?"

Spike nodded as the gurney reached the top of the stairs, "Yeah. I'll be there."

Willow looked at Spike in surprise, "They know who you are at the hospital? Humans? And what's with the 'looks' or whatever? What was he talking about?"

Spike chuckled and shook his head, "You need to crawl out of your computer and step outside the bloody shop once in a while, Red. There's a lot about Sunndydale you don't know." He nodded up the stairs. "Marcus and the bird with 'im aren't human, pet. They're both demons glamoured to look human. The 'look' he's talkin' about is a different glamour. And yeah, humans at the hospital know about me. Not all of 'em, but enough to keep me informed of any strange injuries or deaths. Need a way to keep tabs on things since I don't have dozens of faithful minions like most Masters. Never felt the bird before though, she must be new in town. I expect she'll make herself known at tomorrow's Court."

"How many humans at the hospital know about you?"

"Just a few of the doctors and a nurse or two. Ones that've lived in Sunnydale long enough to notice the strange goings on. I've also a few contacts amongst the bobbies. You'd be surprised at how many people in this town know about demons. It's not just us, luv. You know the building Xander lives in?"

Willow nodded, "What about it?"

Spike chuckled, "Xan and Anya are the only humans that live there aside from the building manager."

Willow's eyes went wide, "You're kidding! What about that nice old lady that lives down the hall? She made Xan cookies!"

Spike smirked, "Demon, luv. Glamoured to get along in the human world. I figure about a quarter of Sunnydale's population is demon or part-demon."

Willow looked up the stairs and whispered, "Wow. Guess I should get out of my computer." She looked over at Tara, "You know all this?"

Tara nodded at Willow with a smile, "Yes, baby. I help Spike during Court by reading auras to let him know if anyone is lying or planning anything bad. I would have told you about it, but I thought you already knew."

Willow shook her head with a chuckle, "Nope. It's been very not with the danger and almost getting killed every other week since Spike took over, so I don't really think about it much. I know we still research demons sometimes, but it's never all frantic and this thing is going to kill us all. It's more like, oh, isn't that interesting, it can spit acid out of its eyes, so maybe we should stand over there. You know, I can't even remember the last time I feared for my life."

Spike burst out laughing, "Glad I make you feel safe, pet. That's an odd accomplishment for a vamp, by the way."

Tara giggled then looked at Spike, "As soon as Kathy found out who you were, her aura changed. She's terrified of you, Spike. She must have heard some stories."

Spike frowned as he looked at her, "Is she gonna be a problem, luv?"

Tara shook her head, "I don't think so. Her aura showed mostly confidence and a little worry when she saw your burns, but I didn't get anything secretive or fishy from her, even after the fear showed up. It doesn't look like fear that she's going to be found out, it's just your garden variety fear of a Master Vampire." She smiled up at Spike and he wrapped an arm around her and gave her a squeeze.

Marcus and Kathy appeared at the top of the stairs with Anya securely strapped to the gurney. They carried it carefully down the stairs and set it back on its wheels when they reached the bottom. Willow and Tara rushed to Anya's side and cooed over the baby as Xander stood on the other side of the gurney with a huge, goofy grin plastered on his face. He looked at Spike, "I'm a daddy, Spike."

Spike chuckled as he walked over to stand next him, "I noticed, mate. Congratulations." He looked down at Anya, "How you feelin', pet?"

She smiled up at him and took his hand, "Good. Tired and really sore, but good. Thanks for your help, Spike. I couldn't have done it without you."

Spike squeezed her hand and smiled, "Yeah, you could've. I didn't really do much, luv. I appreciate the name and all, but I didn't really do anythin' to deserve it. You can change it if you like."

Xander's head swiveled toward Spike with determination burning out of his eye, "You're a dork, Evil Dead. We're together because of you and now we have a son. His name is gonna stay Alexander William Harris and we're gonna call him Will." He wrapped his arm around Spike's shoulders and pulled him into a rough hug, "Thanks for helping to bring him into the world. He wouldn't be here without you."

Spike was fighting back tears when Marcus cleared his throat, "We need to get her to the hospital, Mr. Harris. Would you like to ride with her?"

Xander let go of Spike and swiped a hand across his face, "Yeah." He turned to Willow and Tara, "Help Spike find her, ok? Let me know what happens?"

The witches both nodded and backed away from the gurney as Kathy started pushing it toward the door. Spike laid his hand gently on her arm and she jumped. "There's no need to be frightened of me, luv. As long as you're not here to cause trouble, I'll have no reason to end you, all right?"

She nodded at him with wide eyes and stammered, "Yes, Master Spike. I'm just here to work and earn money to feed my family. I promise I won't be any trouble."

He smiled, "Right then. See you at Court, yeah? Introduce yourself properly?"

She nodded and smiled, "Yes, Master Spike, I'll see you then." She helped Marcus get the gurney through the door and down the steps then turned back to Spike. "Would you like me to do something for your burns, Master?"

Spike shook his head, "No worries, luv. I'll be fine. Just take good care of Anya for me."

She nodded and followed the gurney over to the ambulance. Spike and the witches waited by the door until Anya was loaded and the ambulance was headed toward the hospital, then Willow closed the door and turned to face Tara and Spike. "Let's get going on that spell. We need to get Spike his Slayer back."


	14. Chapter 14 Special Cookie

Coming Through

Chapter Fourteen – Special Cookie

"What do you mean, I look like Spike?"

Clem looked over at the tiny woman curled up on his couch, mentally kicking himself for opening his mouth in the first place, but… Spike's his friend, and… he loves this girl. He cleared his throat and gripped the arm of the loveseat then said quietly, "Spike was a complete mess for a long time after you disappeared. He held it together when he was with Dawnie, but just barely. He'd come over here after patrol and sit there just like you are now, looking broken."

Buffy pushed her hair out of her face and tried to sit up a little straighter, "He did?"

Clem nodded, "Yeah. He wasn't eating much, and was barely getting any sleep because he was at the school with Dawn all day, then patrolling and searching for you half the night. The only thing that kept him going was making sure he kept his promise to you to protect Dawnie. He blamed himself for you being gone."

Buffy shook her head, "It wasn't his fault. That demon could've shown up anytime, there's no way he could've known."

Clem nodded and shrugged, "That's what I tried to tell him, but when he gets an idea in his head…."

Buffy nodded with a rueful smile, "He doesn't let it go. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, Clem." She looked down at her soda and asked quietly, "Tell me what happened while I was gone. To him, I mean. Why is he so different? Does he have a… " she swallowed past a huge lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat and finished in a whisper, "Girlfriend?"

Clem shook his head, "No. There's been nobody since you left… well… there was that one time with Anya…"

Buffy's head flew up and she screeched, "That was Spike?"

Clem shrank back into the loveseat just a little, "Uh… yeah. He told you?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line, "He told me about Anya screwing some guy, but he conveniently forgot to mention the part about the guy being him."

"They were both drunk, Slayer, and it was just the one time. Like I said, he was a mess. I think he was getting close to the end of his tether by then. Did he tell you what Xander did when he found them?"

Buffy's lip started to tremble slightly as that part of their conversation replayed through her mind, "Yeah, he mentioned it. Was it bad?"

Clem looked disgusted and clenched his hands into fists – which looked really strange on the normally passive demon – then he spat the words out like they tasted nasty in his mouth. "It was bad. Xander broke his arm, most of his ribs, and his jaw. Anya told me that Xander got Spike down on the floor and just kept kicking him with his steel-toed work boots. Then he took out a stake, but Anya covered Spike's body with her own and wouldn't let Xander stake him, so instead he started stomping on Spike's… um… you know." He motioned shyly toward his crotch as he blushed furiously, the tips of his floppy ears glowing a bright red. "He only stopped when Spike finally passed out from the pain."

Buffy leaned forward, her soda can sliding out of her suddenly nerveless fingers and dropping to the floor with a small thump. She clamped her hands to her mouth, trying to keep her Double Meat meal from making an encore appearance. When she had her stomach somewhat under control, she picked up the soda can and looked up at Clem, "Spike just let Xander hurt him?"

Clem nodded and the seething anger on his face looked even more out of place than his clenched fists, "He didn't really have a choice, Slayer. He couldn't fight back because of the chip."

Buffy's throat closed up as she tried to choke out, "Oh God."

Clem looked over Buffy's pale and drawn face as she clutched the soda can like a lifeline. He felt bad for causing her pain, but there were still some things she needed to know, "It gets worse, Slayer."

She swallowed hard and looked up at him, her eyes full of anguish, "Tell me."

"Once he healed enough to get around on his own, he started drinking. A lot. He'd leave Dawnie with Tara and go to Willie's, then get completely drunk and pick a fight. He'd let himself get beaten to a pulp, Willie would call me, and I'd carry him back here and try to clean him up so he wouldn't go home to Dawnie all bloody and smelling like booze."

"How long did this go on?"

"About six or seven months. He'd run out of demons to fight after the first few months because none of them would go anywhere near him when he was drinking, so he started picking fights with humans."

"Humans? But he can't fight humans because of the chip."

Clem nodded, "I know, but he'd fight them anyway. He was trying to cause himself as much pain as possible. Said that when he passed out from the pain, it was the only time he didn't think about you… what might be happening to you… or if you were still alive."

"Did Dawn know about any of this? Does she know now?"

"Yeah, she knows now. I think she knew then, too, but she didn't know what to do for him. The last time he went looking for a fight, he'd been gone about three days and she was worried. She called me, but I hadn't seen him, and Willie hadn't called me to come get him, so I went looking and finally found him dumped in a sewer tunnel not far from The Bronze."

"Dumped? What do you mean… dumped? What happened?"

"He'd started a fight with a group of humans and they pounded on him until he passed out from the pain of trying to fight back. He'd never vamped, so when he passed out, they probably thought they'd killed him."

Buffy was looking a little green around the gills when she nodded, "No heartbeat and he probably wasn't breathing, so they dumped the body."

"Yeah. He was in a really bad way when I found him. I've never seen someone that beat up. Even what Xander did to him wasn't that bad. I brought him here and called Dawn. While I was waiting for her to show up, he started having seizures. His chip was malfunctioning from firing so much and started zapping him at random times. It was probably zapping him the whole time he was laying in that sewer tunnel."

Buffy's stomach was seriously considering another revolt, "How did you fix it?"

Clem shook his head, "We didn't. Dawn called Tara and she brought Willow with her. They did a spell to get it out of his head before it killed him or turned him crazy."

Buffy's eyes got huge, "He doesn't have his chip anymore? Does Giles know that? Does Xander?"

Clem nodded, "Yeah, they all know. They were all here and saw how much pain he was in because of the chip and… because of you. He was begging us to just dust him. He even put a stake in Xander's hand then punched him so he'd do it."

Her stomach was mustering the troops and getting ready to advance, "He wanted to die?"

Clem nodded sadly, "Yeah. He couldn't take the pain any more. He'd finally given up. Xander almost did it, too."

Buffy slapped a hand to her mouth and struggled with her stomach for a few seconds, then took a few deep breaths and swallowed heavily to celebrate her victory, "What stopped him?"

Clem grinned, "Dawnie. She threatened Xander with a violent and painful death if he didn't put the stake down. Spike tried to argue with her and told her to just let him go, so she punched him and knocked him out again. That girl packs a hell of a punch, let me tell you. You can tell that she's the Slayer's sister to be able to knock out a vampire – even one as messed up as Spike was. Anyway, after she punched Spike, she told Xander exactly where she was gonna put that stake if he didn't drop it, then she told the witches to get the chip out of Spike. Giles and Xander threw a fit about that, but Dawnie set them straight."

Buffy smiled as the picture of Dawn threatening two men far larger than herself popped into her head. Summers women can be pretty scary when they're pissed and protecting someone they love. She could just see the look of righteous anger on Dawnie's face, then the image of her mom holding an axe and threatening Spike floated to the top of her brain and made her smile just a little bit wider. Her smile soon folded down into a frown though, because one thing was still not making sense. "How did Dawn set them straight about the chip? Knowing Giles and Xander, they would've staked Spike before letting anyone remove it."

"She started out telling them that Spike could be trusted, and that you'd trusted him to take care of her so that should count for something, and she told them that if Spike did anything bad because of the chip being gone that she'd stake him herself. They were still hemming and hawing around until she pointed out that just because Spike couldn't hurt humans himself, that it didn't stop him from getting someone else to do it for him, and he hadn't. That convinced Giles."

Buffy nodded slowly, "She's got a point. He could've had us all killed and he didn't. It's not like there weren't tons of fledges here, and they probably would've followed a master vampire as old as Spike, even **with** the chip in his head. Once he found out he could hurt demons, he could've taken over a few vamp nests and really made himself a pain in my ass. I guess I never thought of that."

Clem nodded, "So Giles agreed, but Xander didn't, and he said he couldn't stop them, but he'd keep a real close eye on Spike and if he stepped even a little bit out of line, he'd be dusty. Then he said that he couldn't believe Dawnie was sticking up for the _piece of shit that let Buffy get taken._ He said that they should've staked him the night Dawnie brought him to the house, because obviously he'd done something evil, or you wouldn't have beaten him up."

Buffy's face twisted into an angry scowl, "God, Xander! Spike had nothing to do with me being gone! Nothing! Even if he'd been there, it still might've happened! And he was trying to help me when I beat him up! That whole thing is my fault, not his."

Clem shrank back from the anger rolling off the small woman and nodded quickly, "I know, Slayer, I know. And don't worry; Dawnie didn't let him get away with it. She backed him up against the wall and told him to get out and not to come anywhere near her or Spike until he could, quote… _pull his stupid head out of his stupid ass and see that not all demons are evil… _end quote. Then she reminded him that the woman he had planned to marry was an ex-demon that had been killing for ten times as long as Spike, and had probably killed a lot more people, and she'd had a soul the whole time. That shut him right up and he left."

Buffy snickered at the image of a tiny, brown-haired girl backing a larger, dark-haired man up to a wall, "And she didn't talk to Xander for what… about six months?"

Clem's look of confused surprise made Buffy laugh harder, "Uh… yeah. About that long. How'd you know?"

Buffy grinned through her giggles, "Spike told me. So what finally made Xander join Team Spike?" The wild roller coaster of emotions she'd been riding the last several hours was starting to make her slightly punchy; hence the giggling. She felt like she'd been awake for almost ever, and couldn't remember ever being so tired.

Clem smiled at the still giggling Slayer, although he was still kind of confused as to why she was giggling. "Um… that's something you're gonna have to ask Xander. I don't know if it was any one thing, I just know that when Dawnie finally let him back in the house, he said he'd tolerate Spike and work with him to fight the First Evil, but that was it. After a while, he just started being a little nicer and they started getting along."

"Ok… so Spike just kind of grew on Xander? Like a vampire fungus?" She giggled again and took a large swallow of soda as Clem nodded slowly, wondering to himself if he had a crazy woman on his couch. She plunked her soda down on the coffee table then laid her head on the arm of the couch and looked sleepily over at Clem. "Now make with the splainy about _Master of Sunnydale._ What the hell does that even mean?"

Clem shrugged and said, "Spike's the Master of Sunnydale," like that should explain everything.

Buffy sighed in exasperation, "I hear the words, Clem, but I don't know what they **mean. **How did Spike become the Master or whatever? Was there an election? Did he win a contest? Did he get the special fortune cookie? How?"

Clem chuckled, "He went down to Willie's and announced that he was the Master of Sunnydale and the Hellmouth."

Buffy's mouth fell open, "That's it? He just said it?"

Clem shook his head, "Not quite. After he said it, he had to fight and kill any demon that challenged him. After a few weeks of that, the rest of the demon population accepted him as Master, and it's been nice and quiet here ever since… mostly. There was the whole First Evil thing, but it's been pretty quiet since Faith closed the Hellmouth, and that would've been a lot worse if Spike hadn't ordered almost every demon in Sunnydale to help with the fight."

"Uh huh. And what, exactly, does Spike **do** as _Master_?"

"Not much really… anymore. It was pretty rough for the first year or so. Demons would come from out of town to challenge him, or the ones who lived here would be acting up, but he held his place, and now it's basically just maintenance. He holds Court once a month at the mansion. Any demons that want to move here introduce themselves and swear not to cause problems, and anyone having a problem with another demon or a human tells Spike and he handles it."

"How does he handle it?"

Clem shrugged, "Tries talking to them first, but if that doesn't work then he kills them."

Buffy shot to her feet, wobbling just a little, "Spike's killing humans?"

Clem shook his head violently, his ears fwapping back and forth loudly, "No, Slayer! No. Sorry. I should have been clearer. He only kills **demons** that are causing trouble. If it's a human, he just scares them. He fangs out, and snarls, and threatens, and he might smack them around a little, but he hasn't killed any of them."

Buffy rolled her shoulders and her face cracked into a huge yawn as she sat back down on the couch, "So Spike's kind of like the principal of a really big school where the troublemakers get dead instead of detention?"

Clem laughed, "Yeah, I guess you could say that." He leaned back into the loveseat and smiled over at Buffy, "He loves you, you know."

Buffy looked up at him in surprise, then frowned and shook her head, "He used to. He doesn't anymore. That's why I'm leaving. It's too hard to be around him when I love him and he doesn't feel the same way about me. I'm not strong enough for that." She reached up and scrubbed at her eyes as she yawned again. "I don't know how he was strong enough to stay when all I did was tell him over and over how worthless he was." She leaned her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. "I couldn't have done it."

Clem just looked at her for a minute as she yawned again, then said softly, "You should get some sleep, Slayer. I'll get you a blanket. Be right back." He went downstairs as Buffy snuggled herself down into the couch and kicked off her shoes. She was already asleep when he draped the blanket over her and pulled his phone from his pocket.


	15. Chapter 15 Five More Minutes

Coming Through

Chapter Fifteen – Five More Minutes

Spike was pacing nervously around the porch smoking like a chimney after the witches had kicked him out of the dining room for being a distraction. He'd taken a quick shower after the ambulance had taken Anya away, then tried to sit patiently as Tara bandaged his arms and the worst of the burns on his chest and stomach. He'd tried to tell her that bandaging him wasn't necessary; the burns would heal just fine on their own, but she was adamant, and he finally gave up the argument when she gave him 'the look.'

The sun would be down soon and he was itching to get moving. His burns were just itching. He scratched at the largest bandage on his chest as he muttered under his breath about pushy witches. He gave the bandage one last good scratch, stubbed out his smoke in the overflowing ashtray, and walked back into the kitchen, stepping over scattered utensils and the broken drawer as he made his way to the fridge, scratching absently at his arm. He pulled a blood bag out of the fridge and poured it into a mug then put it in the microwave. His phone started vibrating in his pocket and he pulled it out and flipped it open as he set the timer. "'Ello?"

"She's there?"

"All right, I'll be over in a few. Thanks for the call, mate."

He flipped the phone closed and stuffed it back into his pocket then pulled his mug out of the microwave even though it wasn't done. He gulped it down quickly; barely even tasting it, then dropped the cup into the sink with a loud clang. He stepped into the dining room just as Willow shouted, "Found her!"

Spike chuckled, "She's at Clem's. I'll take the tunnels."

Willow looked up at him with wide eyes, "How did you know?"

He smirked, "Vampires are psychic, pet. Didn't you know?" The look on her face made him laugh and he shook his head, "Just takin' the piss, Red. Clem just rang me, but thanks for doin' the spell anyway. I appreciate it."

She grumbled a little as she started cleaning up the supplies, "You're welcome."

Spike laid his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, and she smiled up at him as Tara got to her feet. "You want us to come with you? We could drive over."

Spike shook his head, "Thanks for the offer, pet, but I'd better do this alone. I'll try to square things with the Slayer and hopefully bring her back here, but if things go south, I'll ring you and maybe you birds can talk some sense into her."

Tara and Willow wrapped Spike in a hug then turned back to the table to finish cleaning up as he jogged downstairs. He shrugged into his duster and pulled the wardrobe away from the tunnel entrance. Tara called down the stairs, "Good luck, Spike!" as he stepped through and pulled the wardrobe closed behind him.

He couldn't remember the trip to Clem's ever taking this long before. It felt like he'd been splashing through the dark and smelly sewer tunnels for an age when he finally burst into the lower level of the crypt, sliding to a halt just before he barreled into Clem.

Clem smiled then nodded toward the ladder, "Hi, Spike. She's upstairs."

"How is she?

"Sad. She thinks you don't love her anymore, and she's leaving so you can keep being happy."

Spike shook his head as he slid his fingers through his hair, "God, I've bollixed things right up again, haven't I?"

"She loves you, Spike."

Spike's eyes locked on Clem's and he whispered, "She told you?"

Clem nodded with a huge grin, "Yep. I'm gonna go to Willie's for a while. Go get your Slayer."

Spike clapped him on the back as he started for the ladder, "Ta, mate." He quickly climbed the ladder and walked silently through the crypt, stopping when he reached the couch. He gazed down on the sleeping Slayer and frowned at her red and puffy eyes. '_She's been crying. A lot._' He shrugged out of his duster and laid it over the back of the couch then walked around to the front and knelt on the floor next to her head. He reached out and gently brushed her hair out of her face as he whispered, "Buffy? Pet? Wake up, luv."

She mumbled something he couldn't make out and swatted at his hand, then rolled over and muttered, "Five more minutes, Dawnie."

He grinned as he stood up then pulled the coffee table closer so he could sit on it. He propped his elbows on his knees, ignoring the pain from his burns, and watched her sleep as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. His fingers caught on a tangle and she suddenly rolled back over. Her eyelids fluttered for a few seconds, then she settled down and her breathing evened out. Spike lightly trailed his fingertips over her forehead and down to the end of her small nose then he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. Her eyes twitched behind her closed lids as she whispered, "I love you, Spike."

He froze, his lips hovering just above hers as warmth bloomed through his body and settled into his unbeating heart. He smiled hugely then closed the distance and brushed his lips across hers, lightly tracing his tongue along the seam. She gasped and her hand came up, fingers sliding into his hair to pull him closer as she deepened the kiss, moaning into his mouth. Suddenly she tensed and her hand tightened on his head as her eyes flew open, "Spike?"

He nodded slightly and murmured against her mouth, "It's me, luv. I'm here."

She squeezed her eyes closed and pulled his head to her shoulder. He tried to sit up, but she held him tight to her, relishing the feel of his body against hers, but terrified of what she would see in his eyes. She whispered as her fingers twisted tighter into his hair, "What are you doing here?"

He turned his head slightly and placed feather light kisses to her neck as he laid his hand lightly on her belly. "Came to fetch you, kitten. Couldn't let the woman I love scarper on me, now could I?"

She started trembling and her fingers loosened their grip just a tiny bit, "You love me?"

His tongue darted out and licked lightly across her neck, and he smiled against her skin when she gasped. He kissed gently again and murmured, "Never stopped, Buffy.

She let him raise his head away from her shoulder, and her eyes were wide when he smiled down at her. She looked up at him with an expression of guarded optimism and whispered, "You're sure? I mean, after what you said in the basement, I thought you hated me."

He shook his head as he sat up fully and ran a hand through his hair, then he tightly gripped the back of his neck and looked away, "I'm sorry 'bout that, pet. I was a right prat. 'S just… I was protectin' myself… I guess. Decided I wasn't gonna accept any more abuse from you, no matter how much I love you, so 'stead of waitin' for the next punch or cuttin' remark, I went on the offensive and attacked first."

She winced and closed her eyes at the word 'abuse,' then opened them and smiled when he said 'love.' She reached out and laid her hand tentatively on his knee, "No, you shouldn't be sorry, Spike. I did a lot of things to you that were abusive, and I'm the one who should be sorry. You were completely right and I needed to hear it."

His eyes widened comically as he choked out, "Did you just say I was **right**?" Buffy smiled and nodded and he looked around the room then announced loudly, "A woman just admitted that a man was right!" He suddenly cringed and raised his hands over his head in a protective gesture.

Buffy frowned in confusion as she looked up at the cobwebby ceiling of the crypt, "What are you doing?"

He lowered his hands and grinned at her, "Just waitin' for the bolt of lightnin', pet. Figured one was on the way, since you admitted I was **right**."

She lightly smacked his knee and giggled, "You're never gonna let me forget that, are you?"

He shook his head, loving the sound of her giggle, "Not bloody likely."

She squeezed his knee and looked up at him with serious eyes, "I am sorry for how I've treated you, Spike. I never should have done those things, and I promise I'll make it up to you, if you still want me."

He smiled warmly and chuckled, "Of course I still want you, kitten. Have since I first clapped eyes on you and I always will."

He grasped her hand in his and beamed a smile down at her as she kicked the blanket off and sat up. She reached for his arm with her other hand to pull him closer, and he hissed loudly and tried to pull his arm away. She looked down at it, finally noticing the bandages, and gasped, "What happened?"

"Uh… just a bit singed, kitten. 'S nothin'."

She looked over the bandages wound down both arms then noticed the tell-tale outline of several on his chest and stomach showing through the tight cotton of his t-shirt and gave him a stern look. "You're a little more than just singed, Spike. What happened? You weren't trying to get yourself dusted again, were you?"

He looked away, shame clouding his features as he muttered, "Clem told you?"

She nodded, "Yeah. He told me about the drinking and the fights and how you tried to get Xander to… stake you."

He refused to meet her eyes when he whispered, "You know 'bout the chip then, I take it."

She stood and stepped forward then straddled his lap and took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her, "Yes, I know about the chip." She leaned in and kissed him gently then pressed her forehead to his, "And it makes no difference. I'm sorry you had to go through that, Spike. I'm sorry I caused you so much pain that you wanted to die. I'm sorry for all of it. I love you. I really do and I know I should've told you before, but I didn't even realize it myself until I thought you were dust."

He looked into her green eyes, filling with tears for the umpteenth time that day, and frowned, "You thought I was dust? Why?"

"I went back to the alley after I came through the portal and you weren't there, so I checked your crypt and Clem was moved in. My brain jumped right to _Spike's dead_ because I didn't think you would've given him your crypt if you were still alive… ish. You know how I felt right after I got back from heaven?"

"I remember, luv." He wrapped his arms loosely around her, urging her to continue.

"Thinking that you were dead was a thousand times worse. It gutted me, Spike."

He reached up and wiped a tear off her cheek with his thumb, "And that's when you sussed out that you… love me?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Yeah."

He grinned mischievously, "Well, Slayer, if I'd known that's all it would take, I'd have faked my dustin' long before."

She grinned back and lifted her small fist to bang it lightly against his nose, "And I would have done that, only a lot harder, for scaring the crap out of me."

He leaned in and nuzzled against her neck as his hands slipped up the back of her shirt, "And then what would you have done?"

She leaned her head back and moaned as he nibbled at her pulse point, "Probably kissed you unconscious." She pulled his lips up to meet hers, kissing him deeply until air became an issue then she broke away, panting harshly.

He chuckled against her skin as he feathered kisses down her neck and nipped at her collarbone, "Think you'd be unconscious long before I would, pet."

She laughed, "Well, it's totally unfair that my boyfriend doesn't have to breathe."

He lifted his head and gave her a blinding grin, "Your boyfriend? That what I am?"

She smiled back just as brightly, "Yes. You're my boyfriend and I'm… your girl."


	16. Chapter 16  The Kitchen Sink

Coming Through

Chapter Sixteen – The Kitchen Sink

The look of awe on his face made a wave of warmth bloom through her stomach. She leaned close and brushed her lips across his cheek then whispered in his ear, "I'm your girl, Spike." He shivered and his arms tightened around her. She lightly licked his earlobe then leaned back and looked down at his arms, "So what happened?"

He shuddered then shook his head slightly and smirked, "Ran right out the front door to find you after I read your note. Bleedin' sun was still up. I know your note said you didn't want the Scoobs to know you're back, but Glinda saw my burns and made me tell her."

Buffy threaded her fingers into his hair, smiling when he closed his eyes and leaned his head into her touch, "Tara **made** you tell her? This is the same Tara that you punched in the nose when she thought she was a demon, right? Sweet, shy, quiet Tara **made** the big, bad vampire tell her?"

Spike laughed and squeezed her tight, not even feeling the pain from his burns. "She can be right fearsome when she gives you a certain look, pet. And she's a pretty powerful witch, so I try my level best to stay on her good side."

"So everyone knows I'm back?"

He shook his head, "Not everyone. The witches, the whelp, and Demon Girl know. I was gonna tell the others after I'd got you back home."

A worried look settled onto her face and she started chewing on her bottom lip, "How's Xander taking it... um... you know... us? Does he know how I feel about you?"

Spike nodded, "He knows, pet. They all do. They've all read the note. Red and Glinda did a spell to find you, and Xan would've been out helpin' me look soon as it got dark, but he had to go to hospital."

Her eyes widened in alarm, "Why? You two didn't get into a fight, did you?"

Spike laughed, "No, luv. Anya had the baby at the house and he went with her to hospital."

"Is she ok? What about the baby?"

"Both fine. They had a boy."

Buffy smiled, "Xander's a dad. Wow. So he's really ok with us?" She hurried to continue, not wanting Spike to think that she was still afraid of her friend's feelings, even though she kind of was, a little. "You know, not that it matters… but… um… is he?" She clenched her jaw and sat up a bit straighter then squared her shoulders. '_My friends are just gonna have to deal. I'm going to be with Spike whether they like it or not.'_

Spike nodded, "He is, pet. We're mates, like I told you. Put all the snarkin' and hatred of each other aside years ago." He grinned evilly, "Well the hatred, at any rate. We still snark at each other, but there's no malice behind it anymore."

She leaned in and nibbled up his neck then took his earlobe in her teeth, biting down gently as she trailed her fingers lightly down his chest, tracing over the edges of the bandages, "What made him join Team Spike?"

Spike tightened his arms around her then moaned low in his throat when her teeth sank into his earlobe, "That's a conversation for another time, luv. I'll tell you all about it if you'd like, but right now I want to get you home to a nice comfy bed. I've a lot of catchin' up to do. Good thing you've got Slayer strength, pet, you're gonna need it."

Words like that, accompanied by the lust filled leer that he was currently sporting would've made her want to punch him in the nose a few days ago. Now it just made her want to rip all his clothes off. She considered for a few seconds then decided to go with the feeling. She slid her hands down to his waist and tugged the hem of his shirt out of his jeans. He gasped when her fingers brushed across the skin of his stomach, and she ground herself against the large bulge behind the buttons of his jeans, panties dampening at the low growl that rumbled through his chest, "Lots of catching up, huh? You're telling me there's been no one else in all this time?"

He froze and looked hard at her, trying to read her emotions, but she kept her smile firmly in place and he stammered, "Um… no… not as such. Uh… not really."

She felt the tension thrumming along his muscles and chuckled as she pulled the shirt over his head, "I know it was you with Anya, Spike. Clem told me. I understand and it's ok." He let his breath out in a rush and she could feel some of the tension leave his body. She dropped the shirt on the floor beside the table and climbed off him then pulled him to his feet. Her lips met his as he stood up, and she kissed him until she was breathless, her arms winding around his middle and pulling him tight against her.

He tilted his head at her with a questioning look in his eyes when she turned them both then put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him down onto the couch. He was used to her taking the lead and initiating things between them, but said things had always been a lot more violent. Usually by the time they'd reached this point in the proceedings, he'd be bleeding and bruised in several places and would need to repair or replace several pieces of furniture.

He watched her with curiosity when she knelt on the floor between his knees then hooked her fingers in his waistband to tug him a little closer. He scooted almost to the edge of the seat and she pulled him down into a blistering kiss that left them both panting. She pushed him back to lean against the back of the couch then licked and nibbled lightly across his chest, avoiding the bandages as she unbuckled his belt. He opened his mouth to speak, but there was an annoying lump in the way, so he swallowed hard and tried again, only to gasp loudly when her hot little mouth found a nipple and sucked it in sharply.

Her fingers were whispering along his skin, leaving burning, tingling trails in their wake and making it difficult for him to remember what it was he wanted to say. She'd never been this gentle or tender with him before, especially when she was leading the dance, and he surreptitiously pinched himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. When her teeth tugged open the first button of his jeans, his mouth opened and words started pouring out, "Um… pet, not that I'm not enjoyin' this… 'cause I am… I really am… but… uh… shouldn't we wait 'til we get… aaaah…." His hands clenched against the couch cushions, words lost again as the remaining buttons were loosed and her tongue slid wetly along his length from root to tip.

She looked up at him and smirked at the open mouthed look of pleasure on his face then smiled sweetly, "You want me to stop?"

He shook his head, trying to rattle some of the lust-webs loose, "Clem's place, kitten. Uh… not… um… appropriate?"

She took him in her hand and started stroking gently as she chuckled, "I'm getting etiquette lessons from a vampire." She looked around the crypt, "Where is Clem?"

He moaned low in his throat as her warm little hand stroked him, "He… aaahh… went to Willie's."

His eyes drifted shut as she squeezed just a little harder and flicked her thumb across the tip, "Don't worry, we're not gonna wreck the place. I just want to do this for you," then she leaned down and took him in her mouth before a coherent thought even had a chance of forming in his lust-addled brain.

His head fell to the back of the couch as his fingers slid into her hair. '_She's not just usin' me this time. She's doin' this **for **me.' _She moved on him, sliding her tongue against him and taking him as deep as she could on each stroke.

He lifted his head to gaze down at her and groaned loudly when he saw her eyes locked on his face, drinking in every expression. '_He's got that same look of awe on his face that he gets anytime I'm even a little bit nice to him.'_

Her gaze, saying loud and clear that she was focused on him and only him, and the sight of his shaft disappearing inch by inch into her blazing hot mouth was all it took. He exploded deep in her throat with a roaring yell as he clutched her hair tight in his fingers. She drank him down; their eyes still locked together, then lifted her mouth off him slowly; twirling her tongue to catch every drop. She placed a gentle lick to the tip then leaned up and pulled him into a soft kiss. "I love you, Spike. Let's go home."

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"You sure you don't want me to carry that? It is my stuff."

Spike shook his head and adjusted the heavy duffel bag slung over his shoulder, "It's all right, pet. I've got it." He smirked down at her, "Think you took enough? Feels like you've got everythin' but the kitchen sink in here."

She grinned, "I was leaving for good, remember? And I couldn't get to the kitchen sink because you were in the kitchen. Thought about taking the bathroom sink. Wouldn't fit."

"Cheeky bint." He laughed and slung his arm over her shoulders, pulling her close and planting a kiss on the top of her head. "Don't ever do that again, yeah? Leave me?"

She stepped in front of him, stopping his forward progress, then slipped her arms inside his duster, only slightly hampered by the duffel strap as she squeezed him tight. "You're not getting rid of me now, Mister. You thought you were impossible to get rid of? Well, you ain't seen nothing yet. I'm gonna stick to you like ooky demon slime sticks to all my favorite clothes."

He bent his head and captured her lips in a heated kiss then she moved to his side, keeping one arm around his waist as they started walking again. They were almost to the cemetery gates when a large, spiny demon stepped out from behind a mausoleum and growled loudly. Buffy pushed Spike back behind her and launched herself at the demon, landing a brutal punch to what she hoped was a vulnerable spot. It stumbled back and crashed into the side of the mausoleum, its taloned fingers coming up to cover where she'd punched as it wailed loudly and slumped to the ground. She was about to spin and kick it when Spike grabbed her arm and jerked her away from the demon, "Slayer!"

She turned to Spike and tried to shake off his grip on her arm, but he was having none of it. "Let me go, Spike! I need to kill that before it gets up!"

Spike pulled her further away and gripped both of her arms as he growled, "Stay here. Let me handle this." He dropped the duffle with a thump and started slowly toward the demon. It was still slumped on the ground making noises that sounded like a wounded puppy. Buffy watched in shock as Spike squatted down in front of the demon and gently patted its arm while he growled softly. The demon growled back, just as softly, then looked across the cemetery at something Spike was pointing to. It climbed to its feet with a louder growl and started off in that direction.

Buffy took a step after it and Spike shook his head, "Leave it, Slayer. You've frightened the poor sod enough for one evening."

Buffy's eyes got wide as her mouth formed a surprised 'O' shape. "I frightened that? Are you serious? Why did you let it go?"

Spike stepped close to her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "Lots of things have changed while you were gone, Buffy."

She watched the retreating form of the demon until it disappeared behind a clump of trees then looked up at Spike. "We're just all with letting demons go now? What if it kills someone?"

Spike shook his head, "He won't, kitten. He's just a baby. He was out playin' in the cemetery and got separated from his mum. He was askin' me if I knew where she was when you clocked him."

Her eyes widened again, even bigger this time. "**That **was a baby?" Her fingers lifted up to massage her temples because she suddenly had a pounding headache. "We have growling baby demons that are as big as a house and we just let them go. Yeah, I think it's safe to say things have definitely changed."

Spike chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "The growlin' is their language, pet, and you can't go 'round killin' demons willy nilly any longer. All the demons that live in Sunnydale now are like Clem; just livin' their lives and not hurtin' anyone."

She looked up at him, "So they're all good? None of them are trying to open the Hellmouth, or start an apocalypse, or snacking on the citizens?"

"No, pet. They're just tryin' to get by, like everyone else."

"Then why do you even patrol?"

He smirked, "Mostly to let 'em all know I'm still in control of this burg. I have had a bit of trouble with vampires recently, though. Took out a nest of 'em last night."

"But if all the demons that live here are good, then where are they coming from?"

"Don't know, kitten. They've just started tricklin' in the last few months. I'm thinkin' their Master is lookin' to take over, so he's sendin' in his minions to see how strong I am and if it's worth challengin' me."

She grinned, "So… vampires I can kill, but the demons are off limits? That's gonna take some getting used to."

He laughed, "Yes. I'm the only vampire that should be here, and if a demon needs killin', I'll let you know. Keepin' these people safe isn't just on your shoulders anymore, kitten. You're still the Slayer, but that's not all you have to be. I know how badly you've wanted a normal life, and although it may not be textbook normal… with the white picket fence and the 2.8 kids… it could come close."

She leaned her forehead on his chest and whispered, "Normal." She slid her arms around his middle as she lifted her head and pressed a kiss to his throat. "Can my hot, vampire boyfriend be a part of my normal? 'Cause I'd like that. A lot."


	17. Chapter 17  Cheap Suit

Coming Through

Chapter Seventeen – Cheap Suit

They stepped through the cemetery gates onto the busy sidewalk and headed across the street toward downtown Sunnydale. Buffy's duffel was slung over Spike's shoulder again, and she was walking beside him, lost in thought. '_I can finally have a normal life. No more apocalypses… apocalyptii… whatever the plural of apocalypse is. No more getting demon slime, guts, and blood all over me. No more washing vamp dust out of my hair. No more patrolling half the night and trying to hold down a job during the day. No more demons kidnapping me, my friends, or my sister. Just me and Spike and the gang and living. Normally.'_ The images of the huge **baby** demon and Clem sitting across from her in a nicely furnished **crypt** surfaced in her mind and she chuckled quietly to herself. '_Well, Hellmouthy Slayer in love with a vampire normal, anyway.'_

Spike tilted his head and cast a sideways glance at Buffy when he heard her chuckle. She was walking along staring down at the sidewalk in front of her, looking like she was concentrating hard on something. A car horn blared a few streets over and she startled and looked up at him, smiling when their eyes met. "What's got you thinkin' so hard, pet?"

She reached for his hand and twined their fingers together, chuckling again at the look of awe that flowed over his features. He looked around at the busy street full of people then down at their joined hands, smiling as he lifted them and placed a gentle kiss to the back of hers. "I was just thinking that you'd better get used to stuff like this, Spike." She squeezed his hand. "I plan to be all lovey dovey Buffy and hang all over you like a cheap suit every chance I get. Remember the **my will be done** spell that Willow did?"

Spike nodded and most of the blood in his body rushed south when the image of Buffy perched in his lap kissing him senseless surfaced in his mind. She giggled at the look on his face and he smiled sheepishly down at her. "Well take that times about a million. **Anya** will be embarrassed by the amount of PDA we're gonna have going on."

Spike smirked, "That right, pet? You know it'll take quite a lot to embarrass Demon Girl. You could shag me on the dinin' room table, smack in the middle of Thanksgivin' dinner, and she wouldn't even blush. Hell, she'd probably start tossin' out suggestions." Buffy giggled and stepped close to him, pressing her breasts into his chest, then lifted her hand to the back of his neck and pulled him into a long, slow kiss right in the middle of the sidewalk. People jostled them as they pushed past, and a group of teenage girls giggled and pointed while two old women sitting on a bench across the street gazed at the pair with wistful expressions. She broke away when spots started forming behind her closed eyelids and panted for a few seconds then smiled up at her stunned vampire. He broke into a huge grin, "Think I could get used to this, kitten." He tugged her hand and started walking down the sidewalk. "Really think I could."

A pair of glowing, amber eyes followed their movement down the sidewalk from the shadows of an alley at the far end of the street. His lips curled into an evil smile and a low snarl slipped out between his fangs, "Soon."

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The front door of 1630 Revello Drive slammed open and a large duffel bag barreled through attached to a leather-clad vampire whose lips were being vigorously attacked by a petite, blonde Slayer. The bag crashed to the floor and the vampire was pushed backwards into the dining room by the small fists curled into the lapels of his duster. The backs of his legs hit the edge of the dining room table and he pitched backwards, slamming onto it with a thump as he dragged the Slayer down with him. She hauled herself all the way up and straddled him then leaned down and attacked his lips again as his hands gripped her hips and pulled her tight against the large bulge in his jeans.

A soft chuckle from the doorway made Buffy sit up and turn sharply. Spike lifted his head and peeked around Buffy then smiled. "Glinda, didn't expect you to still be here."

Buffy climbed quickly off Spike and jerked him to his feet then turned to face Tara, "Uh… hi, Tara."

Tara rushed forward and enveloped Buffy in a crushing hug, "Hi, Buffy. I'm so happy you're back." She backed up and smiled widely at the two blondes. "Looks like you two got some stuff figured out."

Spike grinned and wrapped his arms tentatively around Buffy; still not fully confident that this was allowed in front of a Scooby. He thought she might still be a bit hesitant to let him touch her, considering she'd just jumped off him like a scalded cat. His grin got wider when she covered his hands with hers and leaned her head back against his shoulder. She turned her head and pressed a gentle kiss to his neck then smiled over at Tara. "Yeah, we did."

Spike looked over Tara's shoulder toward the living room. "Where's Red?"

"She went to get Xander from the hospital. Anya and the baby are fine, and visiting hours were over a while ago, so they finally told him to go home. He can go pick them up tomorrow."

An excited voice screamed, "Buffy!" and then she was being crushed between an ecstatic witch and the hard, muscular body of her boyfriend. Willow's arms were wrapped around both of them, squeezing for all she was worth. Spike hissed as Willow pressed against his arms, but she was oblivious, "Goddess Buffy! We were so worried when you disappeared and then you finally came back and then you left again!" She backed up and fixed Buffy with a stern glare. "Why did you do that? We could never forget you! Never!"

Buffy opened her mouth to speak and almost got a word out before Willow crushed her in a hug again. Spike hissed again as Tara reached out and gently touched Willow's arm, "Baby? I think she could answer you if you'd let her breathe, and you're hurting Spike."

Willow dropped her arms quickly then blushed and backed up. "Sorry."

Buffy smiled and took a deep breath and Spike squeezed her just a little. "It's ok, Wils. Good to see you too."

Xander stepped through the door and shouted, "Buffster!" He started forward and Spike let go of Buffy, pushing her forward a few steps so Xander could wrap her in a hug without crushing his burned arms again.

Buffy mumbled against Xander's chest, "Hi, Xan. You've gotten a lot stronger."

He let her go with a chuckle and she drew in a lungful of air. Spike nodded toward the living room. "You ladies want to sit and chat for a bit? I'll go put some cocoa on."

Xander looked up at him and yelped, "Hey! Man here, Bleach Boy!"

Spike chuckled, "Do you ladies and the whelp want to sit and chat? Like I said, I'll make cocoa."

Buffy turned and pulled him forward then leaned up to give him a gentle kiss. "Do you have the little marshmallows?"

He smiled as he glanced quickly around the room and saw nothing but happiness and acceptance on the faces looking back at him. He slid his hands into Buffy's hair and kissed her soundly then murmured against her neck. "You know I do, pet. Love 'em, don't I? Go have a chat with your mates, I'll be in shortly." He nipped at her pulse point, smiling when she gasped, then walked around the table and into the kitchen. Buffy watched him go, heaving a giant sigh when the door swung shut behind him.

Tara and Willow exchanged a knowing glance and stepped forward to hook their arms through Buffy's. She startled and smiled at each of them. "Sorry. Just thinking."

Tara chuckled as they turned and walked into the living room, "Yeah. He is pretty great, isn't he?"

Willow grinned, "Not every day you find a hot guy who can cook, and he makes the best hot cocoa!"

Xander grumbled from behind them. "The Bleached Menace isn't the only hot guy here who can cook, you know."

Buffy turned and smiled at Xander. "You're very hot too, Xan, in a total I think of you like a brother and do not want to have smoochies with you way, of course."

Xander grinned and pushed the women along ahead of him, "Yeah, yeah. I'm the brother. I know." He dropped into a chair and propped his feet on the coffee table.

Buffy giggled as the three women dropped down onto the couch then she looked at them with a smirk. "You two are all with the Spike love. Not that I'm complaining, but when I left…."

Tara nodded toward the kitchen. "We got to know him, Buffy. Once you get past all the grrrr and the supposed to be evil no soulness of Spike, he's actually really nice and he takes care of all of us."

Willow smiled, "Like a fangy big brother."

Xander smiled over at Buffy, "Yeah, the brother you **do** want smoochies with. Wait… that… uh… never mind."

Buffy burst out laughing, "Spike is definitely not my brother. That would just be a world of wrong, considering some of the things we've…." She stuttered to a halt as she blushed and looked around at her friends.

Xander sat forward in his chair and fixed his eye on Buffy. "It's ok, Buff. We all know how you feel about him and what was going on right before you disappeared." Buffy's blush deepened and she looked down at her hands. Xander got up and sat on the coffee table in front of her. "Buffy." She looked up at him. "I know back then I was the President of the Sunnydale chapter of the Let's Stake Spike club but… not anymore. He's done… Well… let's just say that he's saved my life more than once… and not just in the he kept me from being gutted by a demon way… he got me Anya back. I've got a wife and now a son because of Captain Peroxide, so I'm all with the Spike love too… or the Spike like… yeah, 'cause I don't **love** Evil Dead. It's like… a strongish, he's my friend and my son is named after him like…"

Buffy scooted to the edge of the couch and pulled Xander into a hug, effectively plugging his verbal diarrhea. "Thanks, Xander. And congratulations on the baby." She pulled back and smiled at him. "You really named your son Spike? Oh God, you didn't name him Captain Peroxide, did you?"

Xander barked laughter and shook his head, "No, Buff. We named him Alexander William. Ahn wanted to name him Alexander D'Hoffryn, but I said uh-uh. If we're naming our kid after a demon, then it's gonna be a demon I actually like, and uh… you know… doesn't have horns."

Buffy rolled her shoulders and shuddered as she suddenly felt like a great weight had been lifted off her. She put her arms around Willow and Tara and pulled them forward, then leaned into Xander. They all lifted their arms and completed the circle, leaning in until their heads touched. "I've really missed you guys. I know for me I saw you all yesterday, but I've missed **this**. I know when I got back I was angry… and hurt… and I did a lot of things I'm not proud of. I just want to say thanks for bringing me back. I know I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I do now."


	18. Chapter 18  Serving Wench

Coming Through

Chapter Eighteen – Serving Wench

Spike stepped away from the kitchen door with a smile and started putting the cocoa together as he listened to the rest of the conversation. He chuckled to himself over a few bits, then grinned widely enough that his teeth were in danger of falling right out of his head when Buffy told them that she really does love him and he makes her happy. He listened intently as she described how she thought he was dust, and what happened between coming through the portal and finding him in the basement.

He was pulled away from his eavesdropping when the scent of burning cocoa reached his nose. "Bugger!" He lifted the pan from the stove and plopped it into the sink then filled it full of water and pulled out a new pan, starting the process of making cocoa all over again. When he had four steaming cups of chocolatey goodness, he placed a bowl of tiny marshmallows on the tray and carried it out to the living room.

Xander looked up at him with pleading eyes as he stepped into the room. "Sit down, Spike, please. I need reinforcements." He stabbed a finger at the women chattering away on the couch. "They're talking about girly stuff. I think I'm growing a uterus even as we speak."

Spike barked laughter. "Sorry, whelp, no can do. I'm just playing servin' wench for a mo' then I'm gonna do a quick patrol while you lot get caught up. See if we've got any more new vamps paying old Sunnydale a visit."

Xander jumped up, "I'll go with you! Let them talk about whatever it is they're talking about. I can talk to Buffy later, not like she's going anywhere, right?"

Spike shook his head as he handed Xander a cup of cocoa. "Sorry, mate. I need to go alone. I'm gonna sneak up on 'em, if I find any, and see what they're plannin' or why they're here 'fore I dust 'em. They'd smell you 'fore we got anywhere near 'em."

Xander raised his arm and sniffed deeply. "I don't smell anything."

Spike chuckled, "I could smell you as soon as you stepped out of the car, Xan. I'm goin' alone."

Xander grumbled as he sat back down. "We really need to get more guys in this gang."

Spike set the tray on the coffee table as Buffy stood up from the couch and walked over to him. "I could come with you."

He shook his head as he wrapped his arms around her, warmth flowing through him when her arms wrapped around him and squeezed him tight. "Sorry, pet. I'd have the same problem with you that I have with Xan. You just smell too good. Happy Meals on legs, yeah? You stay and have a nice chat, and I'll be back 'fore you know it."

She leaned up and kissed him deeply as her hands untucked his shirt then slipped underneath. She lightly dragged her nails across his back and he moaned quietly into her mouth. Xander rolled his eye and chuckled, "Get a room."

Buffy turned around and smiled at Xander. "Get used to it, Xan. I plan to kiss him a lot."

Xander chuckled, "The kissage I can handle, as long as you're not trying to swallow his face or something, but when you start with the clothing removal, it's moving into OH GOD, MY EYE! territory. Don't want to see the nakedness of Evil Dead, Buff. Please."

Buffy laughed and looked at Willow. She was blushing almost as red as her hair as she smiled, "Not that Spike isn't… you know… nice looking and everything, but… yeah, I'm with Xan on this one. I'm fine with the kissage, just not the naked kissage."

Buffy looked at Tara, expecting her to be blushing and embarrassed, but she looked as cool as a cucumber when she shrugged. "I'm fine, Buffy. Besides, I've seen it all before."

Buffy's mouth dropped open and she squeaked, "You have? When? Clem said…" She turned and stabbed a finger into Spike's chest. "Clem said… YOU said… and… and… she's gay!"

Spike backed up a step and stammered, "Pet, it's not like that. Glinda and I haven't…."

Tara got to her feet and walked over to Buffy. "Buffy, I haven't had sex with Spike. I've seen him naked because I took care of him every time he went out and got himself beat up."

Buffy looked up at Spike in confusion, "But Clem told me he cleaned you up after."

Spike nodded, "He did, pet, but Clem's a demon, and a male demon at that. His idea of cleanin' me up was to stuff me into a clean shirt, set my broken bones, and wipe the blood off my face. Once he got me home, Glinda would take care of cleanin' up the rest and bandagin' me."

Tara laid her hand gently on Buffy's arm. "I didn't want Dawnie to see him like that. I couldn't hide the worst of the bruises from her, but I did what I could to keep her from seeing him all cut up and covered in blood."

Buffy stepped close to Spike and leaned her head on his chest as she let that sink in for a minute. "Ok." Her arms snaked around his waist again as she closed her eyes and hugged him tight.

Willow got up and walked over to stand next to Tara. "I was in Europe or I would've helped too. I got back a few days before Clem found him all beat up the last time."

Xander chuckled, "I wouldn't have helped, Buffy. So not with the naked Spike, especially back then."

Buffy turned and looked over at him as she took Spike's hand in hers. "I know, Xan. I heard about the Anya thing." She felt Spike wince as Xander's face turned a dark shade of red. He opened his mouth and she held up her hand. "What happened is between you and Spike. You've gotten past it and you're friends now, I just know about it is all I was trying to say."

Xander let out a sigh of relief at not having to face an angry Slayer intent on revenge for damage done to her vampire. "I just want to let you know that I did apologize to Spike for that after I let him beat me up."

Spike snorted, "Let me? That'll be the day. You didn't **let** me do anything, whelp. You were bein' a right tosser and no amount of talkin' was gonna set you straight."

Xander smiled and nodded, "Yeah, you're right, Spike. You kicked my ass and I deserved every bit of it."

Spike looked up at the ceiling then smiled at Buffy. "That's twice in one day, pet. I'm bound to be struck now."

She giggled then looked at the confused faces of her friends and giggled louder. "So why did you kick Xander's ass?"

Spike smirked, "'Cause he refused to see reason 'bout me and Demon Girl. She wanted him back and kept tryin' to tell him that there was nothin' between us, but he wouldn't listen, and he refused to admit that he still loved her. I finally got fed up listenin' to both of 'em harpin' in my ear, so I took him out and got him completely pissed then beat some sense into him."

Buffy looked at Xander, who was nodding his head, and turned back to Spike. "You got him drunk so you could beat him up?"

Spike chuckled and shook his head, "Didn't start out with that plan, pet. Thought I'd get enough whiskey in 'im to unlock that bear trap he's got for a brain and maybe my words would start sinkin' in. He started gettin' angry every time I mentioned Demon Girl and finally took a swing at me. I swung back, and in the mornin' we were both bloody and bruised, but he'd finally seen the light. He apologized to me, then groveled to her, and she apologized for shaggin' me, and they've been together ever since."

Buffy smirked, "Gee, Spike, maybe you should start a dating service."

He wrapped his arms around her and murmured, "Cheeky bint," then planted a kiss on her forehead and backed up a step. "I'm gonna go patrol. I'll see you in a bit, all right?"

She nodded, "I'll walk you out," then turned to her friends, "You guys can get started on your cocoa if you want, I'll be back in a minute."

Tara noticed the way Buffy's fingers were tucked into the waistband of Spike's jeans and turned quickly to the coffee table. She picked up a cup of cocoa and handed it to a surprised Buffy. "You might want to take this with you. You're probably gonna need to warm it up."

Buffy blushed just a little and nodded then tugged on Spike's jeans, pulling him into the kitchen behind her.


	19. Chapter 19 Cold Cocoa

Coming Through

Chapter Nineteen – Cold Cocoa

Buffy set her cup of cocoa on the counter then hopped up beside it and pulled Spike close, wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands settled on her hips and he ground into her heat as she nibbled on his neck and whispered, "Do you have to go?"

She lifted up his shirt and started nibbling on his chest and sucking on his nipples as her hand snaked down between them and rubbed him through his jeans. His brain was trying valiantly to remember what he was going to do and why, it really was, but there wasn't a whole lot of blood in it at the moment and it was having a hard time – pun intended. Her unoccupied hand snaked into the hair on the back of his head, pulling him down into a mind-blowing kiss as his fingers slid across her jeans-clad core. When she broke away for air, he whispered through a growl of frustration, "Skirts, pet. You should always wear skirts, and I'm gonna shred every last pair of jeans you own."

She giggled as she lightly nipped his neck, then he moaned into her hair when she squeezed him hard and bit roughly at the spot where his pulse would be if he had one. She licked across the skin she'd just bitten, and his moan changed to a low throaty growl. A loud burst of laughter from the living room startled them both and made them freeze with their hands in naughty places. Buffy started scratching her nails over the bulge in his jeans and looked up at him through the hair that had fallen over her eyes. "Do you really have to go?"

He groaned and fisted his hand lightly in the hair at the nape of her neck then pulled her head back, leaning in to capture her lips in a blistering kiss that left her panting. His northern brain had finally wrested control of his body back from his southern brain and he said quietly, "Yes, kitten, I really have to go. Got responsibilities. Can't let my personal life take precedence over my obligations, much as I'd love to do that very thing right now."

She nodded sadly and leaned her forehead on his chest, "Kinda preaching to the choir here, Spike." She slid her hands lightly over the bandages on his arms and lifted her head then pulled him close for a gentle kiss. "Just hurry back, ok? And be careful?"

He cupped her face in his hands and peppered light kisses all over her cheeks and forehead. "I will, pet. Don't expect to be gone more than a couple of hours. You and your mates get all nice and caught up, and I'll see you after, ok?"

She nodded as he backed away from the counter then pulled his duster off a hook by the back door and slipped into it. His hand was on the knob when something occurred to her, "Spike?"

He turned with a smile on his face, "Yeah, pet?"

"What if Tara and Willow and Xander hadn't been here when we got home? Would you still be going out patrolling now?"

He strode across the kitchen and his lips were on hers before she was even aware that he'd moved from the back door. He kissed her breathless again then murmured against her neck as he nipped lightly at her pulse point, "No, pet. I wouldn't be goin' now." He looked at the clock on the microwave then smirked at her. "I'd probably still be shaggin' you into a coma and then I'd go out after, while you were sleeping."

She laughed, "Coma?"

He leered down at her, curling his tongue behind his teeth as he caressed her breasts through her shirt. "Yeah. Coma. But this way works out better, luv. Now I can get the patrollin' out of the way, and we can spend the rest of the night and all day tomorrow in bed, doin' unspeakable things to each other."

Her breath caught in her throat and her panties were suddenly soaked at the visual he'd just presented. He pinched her nipples roughly and she gasped then pushed him backwards with a leer of her own. "Go, Spike. If you don't leave right now, you're not going to get to."

He leaned in for a quick peck on the lips then whispered, "Back soon, kitten. Love you."

She reached up and trailed her fingers down his cheek. "Love you too, Spike." He grasped her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm then walked quickly to the door. He pulled it open, looked back over his shoulder and gave her a smile, then stepped through.

She sat on the counter for a few minutes until her jeans stopped feeling so tight and uncomfortable, then hopped down and picked up her cocoa. It was cold. She walked over to the microwave and warmed it up as she chuckled to herself, then headed back out to the living room to talk to her friends.

XX

XXXX

XX

Spike stepped quietly into the dark kitchen about eight hours later, fuming and muttering under his breath. "Of course it'd be her. Bloody hell."

He angrily took off his duster and hung it on the hook by the door then walked through the kitchen and up the stairs, stopping outside Buffy's room. The door was open a crack because of the missing knob and he pushed it all the way open then stepped inside, frowning at the empty bed. Well, empty of Buffy anyway. The pile of clothes was still there. He backed out of the room and headed back downstairs.

He stopped at the bottom and tilted his head, listening to the sounds of the house and trying to pick out a specific one. He smiled as he heard it and headed back into the kitchen to the basement door. He opened it and jogged quickly and quietly down the stairs, smiling wider when he saw what awaited him in his bed.

Buffy was curled up in the middle of the bed, hugging his pillow to her chest as she slept in one of his black t-shirts. He stood and looked at her for long minute, watching her slow, steady breathing and then smiled softly. She shivered just a bit, so he pulled the wadded up sheet out from under her legs and smoothed it up over her. He picked the comforter up off the floor and laid it gently over the bed then stripped out of his clothes and crawled in behind her. He slipped his arm over her and pulled her tight to his chest then nuzzled her neck and whispered, "Love you, Buffy."

XX

XXXX

XX

Buffy's eyes opened slowly. '_Where am I? This isn't my room.'_ She blinked until her eyes adjusted then smiled. '_I'm in Spike's room.'_ She moved to sit up and was tugged back into a muscular chest by a bandaged arm wrapped around her middle. She turned her head and grinned at the white tousled curls on the head of her sleeping vampire. She laid her head down and snuggled back into him just a little more and then lightly traced lazy patterns on the back of his hand as she lay in his arms, listening to him not breathing. '_So he **doesn't** breathe when he's asleep.' _She pulled his arm tighter around her and sighed happily. '_Who knew that waking up in the arms of one of the most violent and vicious vampires in history would make me feel so safe and loved?'_

She lifted his fingers to her lips and nibbled lightly on his fingertips then licked up his index finger and took it into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it. A low moan and something hard suddenly pressed against her backside let her know that she was having some effect. She twined her fingers with his and laid their joined hands on her belly as she lay quietly, listening to him breathe. He moved slightly, pressing himself against her, then stilled again and she giggled, "I know you're awake, Spike. You started breathing. You were awake yesterday when I was sitting on the stairs, weren't you?"

The vibration of his low chuckle sent a wave of heat all through her that settled in her core. "Yes, pet. I woke up as soon as you opened the door at the top of the stairs."

"So why didn't you say anything?"

She felt him shrug and his arm tightened its hold on her waist. "Wanted to see what you were gonna do. Wasn't sure how to handle you, luv. The Buffy that disappeared ten years ago had made it quite clear that she didn't feel anythin' but contempt and disgust when she looked at me and… the one who ate breakfast and chatted with me on the porch wasn't actin' like that Buffy at all. Threw me for a bit of a loop."

Buffy rolled over and was met with the bluest pair of eyes she'd ever seen. '_How did I never notice how beautiful his eyes are?'_ She lifted her hand and laid it gently on his cheek, rubbing her thumb lightly over his cheekbone. He lifted his head and moved it toward her and she suddenly backed away, rolling out of his arms and off the side of the bed.

She was halfway up the stairs before it registered in his brain. He blinked as his head fell back to the pillow. "What the bloody hell did I do now?" He listened to her jog upstairs and heard the bathroom door close, then smiled as he heard her brushing her teeth, "Silly chit." He sighed as he sat up and ran his fingers through his unruly curls. He pulled on his jeans and started up the basement stairs to take care of his own hygiene, since it seemed to bother her. He padded quietly through the dining room and made his way upstairs then knocked lightly on the bathroom door. "Pet?"

She pulled the door open a crack and smiled, "Sorry I ran out on you like that."

He pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped into the bathroom. "It's all right, luv."

She stepped close and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her forehead into his chest. "It's just… I've never woken up with you there before… and I didn't want you to have to deal with my morning dragon breath." She looked up at him shyly, "You'd look kinda weird with your eyebrows all burned off."

He chuckled, "No worries, kitten," then turned to the sink. He quickly brushed his teeth while she trailed her fingers lightly across his back, then dropped his toothbrush back in the cup and turned to face her. "There, pet. Minty fresh. Can we go back to bed now?"

She tugged at the waistband of his jeans and smiled, "You have too many clothes on to go to bed, Spike."

He backed her up and looked her over appreciatively. "You've got **my** clothes on, pet."

She held her arms out and turned in a slow circle. "You like?"

He pulled her close and growled against her neck. "Think it's the sexiest thing I've ever seen you in, luv." He gently kissed the top of her head then started for the door.

She caught his hand and tugged on it until he turned to look at her. "Where are you going?"

"Gotta make a phone call, pet."

She pulled back and looked at him in shock. "Now? To who?"

He smirked, "Xander."

Her brow wrinkled in confusion as she looked down at herself then back up at a still smirking Spike. "Looking at me in your shirt makes you want to talk to Xander? Wow, you two did get to be pretty close friends. Maybe a little too close."

Spike burst out laughing and she squeaked as he scooped her up and headed down the stairs. "I'm gonna have the whelp put a loo in the basement, pet. That way you can tame your dragon breath without goin' all the way upstairs. Don't want to have you gone from my bed that long, kitten."

She giggled and murmured against his neck. "Oh, ok, but you should do that later. I'm sure Xander's going to be a little busy for a while, with the new baby and everything. I'll just be Speedy Buffy with the dragon taming, ok?" She nibbled at his siring mark then bit almost hard enough to break the skin. He groaned and stumbled just a bit, setting her down on the dining room table. She looked around the room and smiled up at him. "This isn't your bedroom, Spike."

He growled low in his chest, "I know. Can't wait that long, luv. Have to taste you now." He dropped to his knees beside the table then lifted her legs over his shoulders and pulled her close, nuzzling at the scrap of fabric that stood between him and what he wanted. His fingers slid the shirt up then twisted the elastic of her panties until it snapped. She gasped loudly when his fangs descended and pierced the cloth, sliding lightly over her swollen nub. He jerked the scrap away from her with a flick of his head then tossed it over his shoulder with a snarl.

Her fingers slid into his hair and she tilted his head up to look at him. His amber eyes locked with her green ones and he shook off the demon with an apologetic look. "Sorry, pet. Know you don't like to see my demon, just got a bit carried away. Won't happen again."

He looked away and started to slide her legs off his shoulders, but she locked them in place, crossing her ankles on his back for good measure. "Spike, look at me."

He looked up at her with stormy eyes. The lust was still there, but shame and embarrassment were trying to push it aside. "I'll try to control it, Buffy, I will. 'S just hard when you smell so good, and you make those noises and… I'll lock it down. You won't see it again."

She cupped his face with her hands and slid her thumbs over his cheekbones. "It's ok, Spike. I know that before the portal I didn't want to be reminded of what you are, but now I love you and I don't want you to have to hide anything from me. I love you and I love your demon. Now please let me see it." His head tilted slightly in wonder then the planes of his face shifted under her hands as his eyes changed to amber and his fangs descended. She lightly traced her fingers over the bumpies on his forehead, paying special attention to the scar above his left eye. "Now growl for me. That low, sexy growl that always makes me tingle."

Her eyes drifted shut and his nose was bombarded with the strong scent of her arousal as a low growl rumbled through his chest. Her hands slipped to the back of his head and drew him nearer as she opened her legs, welcoming him in. He growled against her core as he licked her from bottom to top, and she gasped and threw her head back, clutching his hair tight in her fingers. His tongue delved deep into her and she cried out and arched her back, throwing one hand behind her to brace herself as she thrust against his face. His nimble fingers slipped over her thigh and worked her swollen nub as he thrust his tongue faster, lapping up her juices. "God, you taste so good, pet. A bloke could get addicted to this."

He slid two fingers into her, thrusting deep, then growled again as he pressed his tongue against her nub. Her breaths were coming in short pants as she dropped her head to watch him work. Her wide green eyes locked with his sparkling amber ones as his tongue flicked her swollen flesh. The intensity and love that shone from his eyes pushed her to the edge, and when he wrapped his lips around her nub and sucked it against his teeth, she tumbled over, coming undone with a loud scream. Her hand fisted tight in his hair and her walls clenched and convulsed around his pumping fingers as he continued to suck, drawing out her pleasure as long as he could.

She finally relaxed her hold on his bleached locks and collapsed back onto the table top, panting harshly. "Wow, Spike. You're really good at…. aaaaah!" His tongue plunged into her again, lapping lazily then moving up to flick at her throbbing nub. He sucked it in and her thighs locked around his head as she arched up off the table with a long, drawn out moan.

Her legs were quivering when he stood and hooked his arm under her knees then picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his demon eyes then pulled his head down for a long, slow kiss, caressing his fangs with her tongue. She laid her head on his shoulder and whispered, "Take me to bed, Spike. I want more."

He grinned, "Yes, m'lady," then carried his boneless Slayer out of the dining room.


	20. Chapter 20 Stakes Then Drinks

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty – Stakes Then Drinks

Spike was halfway down the stairs, the Slayer in his arms lightly nibbling at his neck, when a loud growling noise drifted up to his ears. He stopped and smiled down at a blushing Buffy. "Hungry, pet?"

She smiled up at him and nodded, "Starving, actually. I haven't had anything to eat since my Double Meat Crappy Meal yesterday, and I only ate half of that."

Spike turned around and headed back up the stairs. "What would you like?" He deposited her gently on her feet next to the counter and looked over at the fridge as his demon melted away. "We've got bacon and eggs or I could make French toast."

She trailed her fingers lightly over his chest. "Whatever's quickest." Her hand moved south and gripped him through his jeans, making him growl. "I want to play with Little Spikey. Like right now."

He looked down at her in complete indignation and yelped, "Oi! **Little **Spikey?"

She laughed, "Ok, Mister Egomaniac, you know you're not little." She grinned up at him as she popped the buttons of his jeans. Her hand closed around him, stroking slowly as she licked across his chest and took a nipple in her mouth. She smiled against his skin when he groaned loudly and gripped her arms. "You're a sex god, Spike."

His eyes widened. "I am?"

She nodded as she turned him and pushed him against the counter. "Yes. You are." She tugged his jeans down over his hips then dropped to her knees in front of him and took him into her mouth.

"Bloody hell!" He shouted and his hands darted to her head, tangling his fingers in her hair as she slid her tongue along his length. His hips followed her as she pulled back then plunged him back in.

She looked up at his face as she worked him, a feeling of pride washing over her when she saw the look of pure pleasure etched into his features. She vowed to make him look like that as much as possible from now on. '_I did that to him. I'm making him feel good, and it makes me feel good.'_

His eyes locked with hers as she took him deep, and with another shout, he released deep in her throat then collapsed against the counter. He was panting and his hands were shaking where they were still buried in her hair. She smiled up at him then got to her feet, gently pulling his fingers from her hair and placing his hands on the edge of the counter. "You ok, Spike?"

He nodded as she pulled him forward and tugged his jeans back up over his hips, buttoning the fly as she nuzzled against his chest. "I'm bloody brilliant, luv." His arms came up to wrap around her as he leaned back against the counter, still trying to catch the breath he doesn't need.

She pressed her ear against his chest above his silent heart and wrapped her arms around his middle. They stood like that until Spike's breathing had evened out and then they stood there a bit longer. He mumbled, "Sex god, eh?"

She turned her head and nipped playfully at his chest as she giggled. "Crap, I never should have told you that. Now you're gonna be all with the big ego and walking around like Mr. Cocky Strutting Vampire." She laughed, "But then again, how is that different from any other day?" She bumped her forehead against his chest. "You already know how good you are, you doofus, with the hands, and the eyes, and that make me melty sexy voice…"

A chuckle rumbled through his chest, "Well, pet, if you thought our shaggin' was good before…"

She looked up at him and smiled, "It'll be even better now, because we love each other." A shiver zipped down her spine and settled deep in her belly at the smoldering, love-filled look that filled his eyes. "I love you, Spike."

He tightened his grip on her and buried his face in her hair. "Never gonna get tired of hearin' you say that, Buffy. Never." She squeezed him tight and they stood for a while, just holding each other. She was tracing circles on Spike's back with her fingertips when her stomach rumbled loudly again. They both chuckled and Spike murmured against the top of her head, "I'll get goin' on breakfast, kitten. Need to get some food into you."

She smiled up at him and nodded, "Ok, I'll warm up your blood and make some coffee. I can probably do that without burning down the kitchen."

He laughed as she backed up and started for the fridge. "You don't have to, luv. I can do it."

She shook her head as she pulled open the door. "No, I'll do it."

He stepped up behind her and reached past her to grab the milk and a carton of eggs, "You sure? I thought the blood thing made you nauseous."

She picked two blood bags out of the produce drawer and set them on the counter then started digging in the cupboards for two large mugs. "It kind of still does, but I'll deal. Besides, you shouldn't have to do everything. I know I'm not much of a cook, but at least I can do this."

Spike set the eggs and milk on the counter next to the stove then pulled out a frying pan. "You made Thanksgiving dinner that year you had me lashed to that soddin' chair. I didn't get to sample any of it, but it looked good and the others seemed to enjoy it. Could you toss me the bread, pet?"

Buffy pulled a loaf of bread out of the breadbox and tossed it at Spike as she chuckled. "I'm good at Thanksgiving, but I seem to burn anything else I make. I tried to make Dawnie some spaghetti once and ruined a frying pan and then spent two days trying to scrub the fire extinguisher gunk off the stove. And don't even get me started on the time I tried to grill some steaks. It's a good thing the BBQ was so far from the house or we wouldn't have one."

Spike laughed as he pulled a glass bowl from the cupboard and cracked several eggs into it. "All right, pet. I'll man the stove and you handle the microwave and coffee pot. Sound fair?"

She smiled and nodded, "Sounds fair and a lot safer." She pulled a pair of scissors out of a drawer and clipped the corner off one of the blood bags then poured it into a mug. She did the same for the second bag then popped the mugs into the microwave. "How long do I cook two bags of blood?"

Spike smiled to himself as he combined the eggs and milk in the bowl along with his own special mix of spices. "Use the popcorn setting, pet. Gets it to the perfect temperature."

She punched the popcorn button then picked up the empty bags and walked toward the trash can. She was about to drop them in when a symbol printed on the top bag caught her eye. She held it up and looked at the writing under the symbol. 'Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. Whole blood. Type – O. Rh Negative.' She looked at the other bag, which said the same thing, then looked up at Spike. He was dipping bread into the bowl of egg mixture then dropping it into the pan. "Uh… Spike?"

He glanced over at her then turned back to the pan and dipped another piece of bread into the bowl, "Yeah?"

She held up the blood bags, "Human blood?"

He dropped another piece of bread into the pan then set the bowl down on the counter and turned to face her, "Yeah. I drink human blood. I need it to be at full strength, pet. Pig's blood will keep me fed, but it doesn't keep me strong, not to mention it tastes like shite. That's why I was always nickin' burba weed from the shop and Weetabix from the Watcher to mix into it. 'Sides, other demons can smell the difference in my scent if I'm not drinkin' human. I couldn't control 'em all if they scented pig on me, luv. It would make me seem weak and not worthy of bein' a Master."

She dropped the bags into the trash then walked over toward him and leaned on the counter, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ok, I get that. But you don't bite anyone, do you?"

He winked at her, "Not unless they ask me nicely." He chuckled at the scowl on her face then shook his head. "No, pet, I don't bite anyone, even if they do ask. I get expired blood from the blood bank at the hospital. They'd just have to tip it into the bin otherwise, and it keeps me and a few other blood drinkin' demons here in town from havin' to feed on the Happy Meals."

Buffy's eyes widened just a bit, "There's other demons besides vampires that drink blood?"

Spike nodded and turned back to the stove, "A few. They're rare, and they usually don't stay in one place very long, for obvious reasons, but we have three families livin' here that get all their blood from me. They haven't had to kill anyone for food since they moved in."

"Why do they get their blood from you and not the blood bank?"

He chuckled, "Not the type of demons that can just wander amongst humans, luv. They tend to draw a bit of attention, and they can't glamour themselves 'cause magic doesn't work on 'em. So I get the blood from the blood bank and Clem picks it up from me and takes it to them."

"Oh. Makes sense, you know, in a Hellmouthy way, I guess. So I guess the death rate has gone way down since you… uh… took control… of Sunnydale?" She pulled two plates out of the cupboard and set them next to the stove then rounded up the butter, peanut butter, and syrup and deposited them on the island.

Spike nodded as he flipped the toast over in the pan, "Yeah. Now it's mostly just natural causes and road accidents and the like. We did have a rash of grisly murders a few years back, but it turned out to be a human. Twisted git fancied himself another Dexter, but he was killin' anyone that crossed his path, not just other killers. Had the plastic and the cuttin' tools and everything. Took me a little while to track him down and hand him over to the bobbies. Kept followin' his scent from the murder sites 'til I finally found one fresh enough to trace back to him, and now he's sittin' on death row in a prison somewhere up North."

Buffy's brow furrowed in confusion, "Dexter? Who's Dexter?"

Spike chuckled as he looked over his shoulder, "Bloke on telly. Serial killer from Miami that only kills other killers. Not a bad program, really. We'll have to watch it sometime."

"Uh… ok." She nodded faintly as she pulled silverware from the drawer then turned and leaned on the counter again. "So, how was patrol last night? I didn't hear you come in."

He shrugged, "It was all right. Found a minion and spent the better part of the evenin' tryin' to pound some information out of him. Git was a lot stronger than a minion has any right to be, that's why it took so bloody long."

Buffy placed the silverware on the island and pulled the orange juice out of the fridge. "So what did you find out?"

Spike flipped three slices of toast onto the top plate then started dipping more bread into the egg mixture. "I know who the Master is that keeps sendin' in the fledges."

Buffy pulled a glass out of the cupboard and poured some juice into it. "Who is it?"

"Dru."

The glass wobbled in her grip and juice slopped over the edge and splashed on the counter as she set it down. "Drusilla? She's the one who wants to take over Sunnydale?"

Spike nodded as he dropped a piece of eggy bread into the pan. "Yeah... well… she doesn't want to take over so much as she wants me back."

It was a good thing that the glass was already sitting on the counter and Buffy's hand had moved away from it, or there would have been orange juice dripping off the sides of the island and puddling on the floor. As it was, her hand tightened on the handle of the juice jug and her heart plummeted to her knees, ok, a little lower than her knees; it actually crashed into the linoleum and laid there, flopping around like a fish. '_No! I just got him! She can't have him back! She can't!'_ She managed to croak out through a throat that had suddenly closed up, "Wants you back?"

Spike nodded without turning around, "Yeah. Barmy chit thinks if she kills you, it'll get you out of my system and I'll go back to her. That's what all the bleedin' fledges have been doin'. Checkin' to see if you'd turned up so they could go back to Dru and tell her it's time." He heard a strange noise and turned from the stove to see Buffy gripping the counter and looking like she was about to pass out. "Buffy!" He dropped the spatula and rushed to her side then led her to a chair and helped her sit down.

She gripped the edge of the table and laid her forehead on it. "She wants you back?"

Spike darted to the stove and turned off the heat then dropped into the chair next to Buffy. "Pet? Calm down. Breathe, Buffy." He rubbed his hand soothingly up and down her back. "She may want **me**, but I don't want **her**. You've got nothin' to worry about on that front, kitten. I'm yours."

Buffy stuttered out with her forehead still pressed to the table. "But she's… Drusilla. What did you call her? Your ripe wicked plum? Your Dark Goddess? You were with her for over a century, Spike, and she's your Sire."

Spike leaned down and brushed his lips gently across her ear, "Doesn't matter a bit, luv. I don't love her anymore and she never loved me. Took me a while to believe that, but I do now. She only wants me 'cause she doesn't like losin' her toys. That's all I ever was to her, pet, somethin' to play with when she couldn't have her Daddy."

Buffy's face screwed into a disgusted scowl as the visual of Drusilla and Angelus hanging all over each other traipsed lazily across her mind. "I could have gone the rest of my life without being reminded of that. Thanks, Spike."

"Sorry, pet."

She raised her head off the table and looked at him with hopeful eyes. "You're sure you don't want her?"

Spike pulled her close and ghosted a kiss across her lips. "I'm sure, pet. I want you and only you, and I'm surer about that than I've ever been 'bout anythin' in my entire unlife. Told you once I'd stake her to prove my love for you, remember? Haven't changed my mind about that, kitten."

Buffy nodded and took a deep breath, "Yeah, I remember. Chains and Dru and Harmony. Good times."

Spike's expression turned sheepish and he looked away, "Yeah. Sorry about that. Was a bit of a cock-up, wasn't it?"

She lifted a hand and laid it gently on his cheek, turning his head back to face her. "Now that I think about it, it was actually kind of sweet… you know… in a completely creepy, stalkerish kind of way. Besides, we've both done stupid things." Spike snorted then grinned, and Buffy grinned back. "And stupid people. Seriously Spike, Harmony Kendall? What on earth did you ever see in her?"

The sheepish grin was back, "Uh… nothin' much, really. She was just someone to pass the time with a shag every now and again. Might've kept her around if it wasn't for all the incessant prattling on about soddin' Paris and shoppin'." He got a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "'Sides, you're one to talk, Slayer. That Parker wanker? Captain Cardboard? Need I say more?"

Now it was Buffy's turn to look sheepish. "Yeah, I'll give you Parker, but I actually kind of loved Riley! You know, sort of." Spike's eyebrow went up and she stammered, "Well, he was my first normal-ish boyfriend of the not undead variety. And he tried, he really did, but with the Slayage, and Adam, and the Initiative drugs, then not having the drugs, and the vampires biting…."

"Git staked me once, right before he left."

Buffy's eyes got huge and her hands flew to his chest, feeling for the wound, "He what?"

Spike chuckled and took her hands in his, "Long time ago, luv, and it was a plastic stake. He was angry 'cause I'd shown you what he was doin' with those vamp whores. After he staked me, we shared a bottle and talked 'bout how we were both in the same boat, 'cause we loved you and knew you didn't love us back."

"So he staked you and then drank with you? While you talked about me?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. Weird."

Spike grinned evilly, "Wish the wanker was still around. I told him that I knew I had no chance with you, but I had to try anyway. I'd love to see the look on the prat's face when he realizes how wrong I was."


	21. Chapter 21  Attention Span

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty One – Attention Span

Breakfast had been eaten, even though the French toast was slightly cold and a little chewy due to sitting so long in the pan. Spike had drunk his blood, even though it too was slightly cold from sitting too long in the microwave. The dishes had been washed, the kitchen cleaned up, and now they were out on the back porch, Buffy curled up on the loveseat, soaking in the warmth of the sun, and Spike draped across his chair, smoking.

Buffy watched Spike take a deep drag on his cigarette and smirked, "So when is your nut-sack ex planning to kill me?"

He shrugged with a small chuckle, "No idea, pet. That minion wasn't exactly forthcomin' with the details, even after I almost broke my bloody hand beatin' on him. All I found out is that Dru's makin' minions by the bushel to scout out Sunnydale. Apparently the stars have been tellin' her that if she kills the sunshine, her Bad Dog will come home."

"And you said they've only been showing up the last few months?"

"Yeah. I figure Drusilla knew you were gone, probably had a vision or something, and has been waitin' around for you to get back. She probably had a vision of you comin' back through the portal, but didn't know exactly when, hence the minions." He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the chair, smoke drifting lazily from his nose. "Not really her style, though. Waitin' around. She never had that much of an attention span. I'm surprised she's stuck with it this long."

Buffy snickered, "_Not much of an attention span_ says the poster child for vampire ADD. Who was that guy that promised to kill me on Saturday and then showed up two days early? Hmmm? Oh yeah… you."

Spike barked laughter, "Yeah… well… patience never was my strong suit, pet. I never was much for toyin' with my victims. Dru and I were planted firmly in the _want – take – have_ camp. 'Gelus is the wanker that would spend months breakin' someone down 'fore he finally killed 'em. Git loved his mind games."

Buffy sighed as she recalled her own experiences with Spike's Grandsire, "Yeah. I remember." She sat up suddenly and looked over at Spike. "You don't think Angelus might be helping her, do you?"

Spike shook his head, "No. Forehead's still in LA and the soul's still tacked on."

"So if Angel's not helping her, and she's not… uh… patient enough to work a plan, then who's doing it?"

Spike shrugged. "Don't know, kitten. Might be another Master Vampire usin' Dru for her visions, but I don't know of very many old enough or strong enough to control her. Won't know 'til we get some research done, I suppose. Watcher's apparently down with the flu or some such, but I'll get him on it in a few days. In the meantime, I'll get Glinda workin' on that minion and maybe she can pull some more info out of him. Beatin' on him didn't do much, but Glinda workin' her magic on him might."

Buffy's eyes went wide. "You didn't dust him?"

Spike stubbed out his smoke and sat up, "Nope. Chained him in the basement of the mansion. There was somethin' off about him, kitten. Like I said, he's stronger than a minion should be, even one turned by Dru. He's almost as strong as a Childe, but I didn't feel any family bond."

"Maybe someone else turned him and he's their Childe."

Spike shook his head as he got to his feet. "He's Dru's, could smell her blood in him. Don't worry about it, pet. It'll keep. None of her minions have seen you yet, so we've got time." He held out his hand to her. "Let's go back to bed, yeah?"

She shook her head and a small flash of hurt crossed his face as she stood up in front of the loveseat. "Come over here, Spike. Please."

His face broke into a grin as he stepped in front of her then leaned down to breathe against her ear, settling his hands on her waist. "Yes, kitten?"

She slid her hands up his bandaged arms. "How do your burns feel? Do they still hurt?"

He nodded, "They're still a bit tender, but I'll be fine, luv. Should be tip-top by tomorrow."

"Good." Her hands continued their journey and settled on his jaw, her fingers buried in the soft hair on the nape of his neck. She pulled him close, kissing him gently as she pressed against him, then dropped her hands to his chest and leaned her forehead between them. "Spike? Um… do you remember our… um… first time?"

He tilted his head just a bit as he looked down at the top of hers, not quite sure where she was going with this. "Yeah, I remember."

He could feel the heat from the blush on her face soaking into his skin. "Um… could you… um… could we…"

He gently lifted her chin and looked at her bright red face. "Why so shy all of a sudden? What's the matter, pet?"

She dropped her forehead back to his chest. "I just want to… um… do that again."

He smirked into her hair. "You want to beat each other bloody, then shag, then fall through the floor and keep shaggin' 'til the building falls down?"

She giggled against his skin, "Not exactly. I was kinda hoping to skip the fighting part, and the falling through the floor part, and the building falling down part."

He played the events of that day back through his mind then grinned wolfishly. "So you want me to shag you hard against a wall?"

Her forehead bounced lightly on his chest as she nodded, and her voice was barely above a whisper when she said, "Yes. That's what I want."

He placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and murmured, "Any particular wall you fancy?"

She giggled again as she shook her head, "No, you can pick."

He lifted her chin and smiled, "You don't have to be embarrassed to ask for what you want from me, pet. You can ask me anythin' and you can tell me anythin'." She nodded with a deep blush still staining her cheeks. "Any particular reason you want me to have you against the wall?"

She started to speak, then had to clear her throat and try again, "Because I love your strength and how you hold me… and… and… it's just… really… um… sexy." She tucked her fingers into the waistband of his jeans and started tugging him toward the kitchen before he had a chance to say anything. "I thought about trying to get you to do that without telling you, but I was afraid we'd have to destroy half the house first."

Spike chuckled as he allowed himself to be pulled toward the kitchen door. "All you have to do is ask, pet. I'll shag you wherever you like. On the kitchen counter, the floor, the table, against the fridge…" She giggled as she pulled him through the kitchen door and pushed it closed behind him. He continued, "The dining room table… done that already… the couch, on the stairs, your bed, my bed, the back porch, hell… in the back garden. Just have to wait for nightfall or my shiny, white bum'll catch fire… again. Let's see, there's the washer in the basement, the coffee table in the living…."

She shut up her babbling vampire in the most effective way possible. Well, the most effective, un-dusty way possible. She grasped his head in her hands and pulled him down into a kiss. He walked her backwards until she was pressed against the wall next to his duster and deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers. When she broke away for oxygen, he laid his hands on the wall on either side of her shoulders then nipped and kissed down her jaw to her neck.

Suddenly he jerked his hand away from the wall, hissing in pain. "Bloody sunlight." Buffy turned her head and saw a shaft of sunlight streaming across the room from the window above the sink that was warming a spot on the wall where his hand had been.

"Oh! I'll get it." She pushed off the wall and he shook his head, capturing her lips in a heated kiss.

"I'll get it, pet." He walked around the island to the window over the sink, skirting the bright shaft of sunlight, and pulled the curtain tightly closed. When he turned around, Buffy was leaning back against the wall, completely naked. His black t-shirt was tossed haphazardly over one of the chairs, and she was licking her lips and sliding her hands over her taut belly.

He growled low in his chest, his leer becoming even more pronounced when her eyes drifted shut and the scent of her arousal suddenly increased. Her eyes opened halfway, the pupils dilated so that her eyes were almost completely black. Her breathing quickened as he prowled over to her like a panther, slinking fluidly across the kitchen, still growling.

He stopped in front of her and leaned down to inhale deeply then licked lightly at the junction of her neck and shoulder. He murmured, "Smell so good, pet," against her warm, flushed skin, smiling when she shuddered at his feather light touch. His hands settled on her waist, gripping firmly as her fingers made short work of the buttons of his jeans.

She pushed his jeans down over his hips as she whispered, "Need you now, Spike." He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist and sank down onto him with a loud moan, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pressed her tight against the wall and thrust deep as their mouths met in a furious clashing of teeth and lips. The pictures on the kitchen wall near Buffy's head bounced on their hooks from the force of Spike's thrusts. Buffy's nails dug into his shoulders as she held tight, pulling him as close to her as she could while his hips continued to piston furiously.

They didn't hear the sharp rapping on the front door. They didn't hear the door open, or the tentative steps across the dining room. Their mutual cries of release drowned out the quiet query of "Spike?" They couldn't hear the kitchen door hinges squeak over their harsh panting as the door was slowly pushed open. They did, however, hear the loud thump of a body hitting the floor, immediately following a loud exclamation of, "Oh Dear Lord!"


	22. Chapter 22  Howling

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Two - Howling

"Giles!"

"Rupert! Oh, bloody hell!"

Spike backed up quickly and set Buffy gently on her feet. He pulled his jeans up and quickly tucked himself in, buttoning up as he rushed over to the crumpled, tweedy heap lying in the kitchen doorway. Buffy pushed off the wall and dropped to her knees beside Spike as he rolled the unconscious Watcher to his back. "Is he all right?"

Spike tilted his head as he listened, "Yeah, he's just out cold. Heartbeat is nice and strong, Slayer." He inhaled deeply and frowned, "Smells sick, though. Must not be over whatever had him losin' his lunch yesterday."

Giles stirred slightly and moaned quietly and Spike looked over at a still very naked Buffy kneeling next to her Watcher's head. "Uh… pet? As much as I appreciate the view, you might want to get somethin' on 'fore Rupes wakes up. Don't think he can take the shock of seein' you starkers. Again."

Buffy's face screwed into a look of mortified horror as she bolted to her feet and backed away. "Oh God, Spike, do you think he saw us… doing it?" She snatched Spike's t-shirt off the chair and tugged it over her head, almost tearing the fabric in her haste to get covered.

Spike chuckled, "Don't think he saw the shaggin', pet, but he did get quite the eyeful of his bare-arsed Slayer bein'… uh… held… by a Master Vampire with his trousers round his knees."

"Geez, Spike! Ever hear of locking the stupid door?"

He looked at Buffy with a smirk. "I did lock the door, pet. Fat lot of good it does when all the Scoobs and Clem have keys."

Buffy smiled weakly as she stepped up behind Spike, "And apparently no problems with just walking in without knocking."

Spike shrugged, "I'm usually asleep durin' the day, luv. Gave 'em all keys so they could do whatever needed doin' without wakin' me up. They've got free run of everythin' in the house 'cept the basement. Told 'em if they came down there without givin' me a heads up, then they couldn't complain about anythin' they see or hear. 'Sides, Rupes probably did knock, pet. He's too proper - and English - not to, but I was a bit preoccupied and didn't hear it."

Buffy blushed as she looked down at the prone Watcher. "Guess we'll have to stop… uh… doing stuff… unless we're in the basement."

Spike nudged her leg with his shoulder and nodded toward the wall by the kitchen door. "Got walls down there too, kitten. Lots of space for…" He waggled his eyebrows and curled his tongue behind his teeth.

Her blush deepened and she smacked him on the shoulder. "Shut up, Spike."

He barked laughter as Rupert's eyes fluttered and opened slightly. They widened comically as they fell on Buffy, standing just behind Spike in a very short t-shirt. His eyes trailed down the t-shirt and widened even more when they spied Buffy's bare leg pressed up against Spike's bare back. Buffy's face turned a lovely shade of red as she darted across the kitchen and snagged Spike's duster off the hook then slipped into it, wrapping it tightly around her small frame.

Spike was chuckling to himself and helping Giles to a sitting position when Buffy dropped to her knees beside him and wrapped the startled Watcher in a fierce hug, "Giles! Are you ok?"

Giles sputtered and gasped, "Air, Buffy!"

She released him so suddenly that he would've toppled right over had Spike not been holding his arm. "Sorry!"

Spike steadied him and helped him lean against the wall next to the door then sat back on his haunches. "You gonna be all right, Watcher?"

Giles nodded faintly, his eyes glued to a still red-faced Buffy. "Yes, Spike, thank you. I'll be quite all right in a few moments."

Spike rose gracefully to his feet. "Want me to put the kettle on? Or would you care for somethin' a bit stronger? Think I could sort some of that Scotch you gave me for Christmas."

Giles nodded absently, still staring at the small blonde woman. "Oh… um… tea would be fine. Thank you." He glanced over at Spike then his gaze flew back to Buffy. His eyes flicked briefly to the wall by the kitchen door then they traveled between the two blondes like he was watching a tennis match as his face slowly turned crimson.

Spike took the kettle off the stove and over to the sink, smirking at the Watcher's embarrassment. "Buffy, could you get Rupert to the sofa while I make us both a cuppa?"

Buffy's gaze jerked to Spike and she nodded, "Oh… uh… sure." She stood and pulled the duster tighter around her then held her hand out to Giles. He shakily clasped it and she pulled him to his feet.

He looked down at their hands and whispered, "You're real. You're really here."

She smiled and stepped close, wrapping him in a hug while being careful not to squeeze too hard. "I really am, Giles." She looked over at Spike and watched him dig in the cupboard for a minute then led Giles out of the kitchen.

Spike walked into the living room a few minutes later and set a tray down on the coffee table. He poured a cup of tea and handed it to Giles then poured one for himself and sat down in a chair. Buffy was sitting next to Giles on the couch, swimming in Spike's duster as she described the G'vark demons and what it was like on the other side of the portal. Giles kept frowning at the duster and blushed furiously when it slipped and Buffy's bare thigh was exposed. He threw a glare over at Spike then turned his attention back to Buffy. Spike quietly sipped his tea while he waited for a lull in the conversation then he cleared his throat. "Pet, could you pop upstairs and change? Not that you don't look right adorable wearin' my duster, but I think the Watcher wants to have a word with me."

Buffy looked back and forth between her father figure and her vampire, an expression of worry on her face. "Giles?" His eyes followed her as she got to her feet and stepped around the table. She moved behind Spike and rested her hands on his shoulders. "I'll let you two talk, but no staking or threatening or anything. I know you probably won't understand and you'll think I've gone crazy or something, but I love him. So be nice." She gave Giles a stern look then bent down and lightly kissed the top of Spike's head, "You too, mister." His hand came up and covered one of hers then he tugged her down into a chaste kiss. "Be right back, Spike. Love you."

He murmured, "Love you too, kitten," then watched with a lazy smile as she made her way quickly up the stairs.

Giles followed his gaze with his brow furrowed. He took off his glasses and dragged out a polishing cloth as he turned back to Spike. "What are you playing at, William? What have you done to her?"

Spike snarled into his teacup then set it roughly on the tray. His eyes flashed amber when he looked up at Giles and he growled, "Playin' at? I'm not playin' at anythin' and don't call me William. You'll do well to watch your tone with me, Rupert." Giles blanched slightly and looked toward the staircase again. When his gaze returned to the vampire, Spike sneered. "I didn't do a bleedin' thing to her." His face twisted into a lascivious leer. "Well, nothin' she didn't want me to, at any rate." He leaned back in his chair and propped his bare feet on the coffee table then twined his fingers together and rested them on his flat belly. "She loves me, and I believe you know how I feel about her, so what's got your knickers in a knot?"

Giles frowned, "My knickers, as you say, are fine and quite knot-free, I'll have you know. I'm just extremely flummoxed by her sudden attitude change. When she disappeared, she saw you only as a useful ally, as well as irritating and annoying. And now… I find the two of you… uh… together. In the biblical sense."

Spike chuckled, "First off, you weren't here when she disappeared, so you have no idea how she felt 'bout me or what was goin' on between us. And you already know that we were… together… in the biblical sense… before she disappeared, Rupert. 'Course, back then, it was just hard shaggin'. Things are a bit different now." The Watcher's face was a brilliant shade of red, but Spike wasn't sure whether it was anger or embarrassment. He inhaled deeply through his nose and smirked. Both.

Giles settled his glasses back on his face. "She's had her whole existence turned on its ear, Spike. She's still the same person she was ten years ago while the rest of us have changed and grown. She's most likely quite confused and overwhelmed and might not be thinking very clearly. I fear you are using her confusion to your advantage."

Spike scowled, "She's thinkin' just fine, Watcher. Why don't you talk to her about it 'fore you go jumpin' to conclusions? She's not a child anymore, you wanker. She's a grown woman who can make up her own mind about what… and who… she wants. 'Sides, you know I'd never harm her."

Giles sighed and leaned back into the soft couch. "Yes, I know that. It's… just a shock, Spike. Tara told me that for Buffy, it's only been a few days since she last saw you, so her complete turnaround regarding her feelings for you is quite worrisome. I'm concerned that something may have happened to her in the G'vark dimension, or possibly the magic from the portal has affected her in some way."

Spike growled, "Make up your mind, Watcher. Either she's confused or she's been mojoed. Which is it?"

The glasses were off and being polished again as Giles considered his answer. After a few moments, he settled his glasses on his nose and looked over at Spike. "Buffy is rather strong, both mentally and physically, so if I had to guess, and this is only a guess, mind you, I won't know for sure until I've done some research, I'd have to say it has something to do with the demon dimension."

Spike sighed and leaned his head back on the chair. "So you're sayin' that her feelings could be some sort of mojo? That they're not real?"

"Quite possibly, yes."

Spike's dead heart clenched as he looked sadly at the staircase. He pulled in a shuddering breath then whispered tiredly, "Bloody hell."

XX

XXXX

XX

Buffy pawed through the pile of clothes on her bed and pulled out a long, flowing skirt and a belly-baring tank top. "He doesn't want me in jeans, so I won't wear jeans." A wave of heat rushed through her and she shucked the duster and tossed it on the bed. She stripped off the t-shirt and headed into the bathroom then quickly cleaned up and stood in front of the sink, looking at herself in the mirror. The scrape was still there, almost healed, and the bruise was gone. She smiled at her reflection, marveling at how different she looked today as opposed to yesterday. Today her eyes are bright and her skin is flushed a bright pink. "I look like I'm in love." She broke into a blinding smile and giggled. "I am. I so totally am."

She practically skipped back out to her room and quickly pulled her shirt over her head. It was tight, but not too tight, and clung invitingly to her torso, ending a few inches below the swell of her breasts. She stepped to her dresser and pulled a drawer open then froze with her hand buried in a pile of lacy underwear. She giggled as a shiver worked its way down her spine. "Kind of pointless to put these on. Don't think they'll stay in one piece for very long, especially if Spike's fangs have anything to say about it." She pushed the drawer closed with another small shiver and pulled her skirt on.

She was about to step through her bedroom door when she heard a voice start singing, "Twenty, twenty, twenty-four hours to go. I wanna be sedated. Nothin' to do, nowhere to go, oh I wanna be sedated." She tracked the noise to Spike's duster and dug through the many pockets until she came up with his cell phone.

She flipped the phone open with a wide smile. "Spike's phone. May I help you?"

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds then, "Who is this?"

"Who is this?"

There was a loud huff, "It's Dawn, but you already know that, since I know for a fact that Spike has caller ID. Now, who the hell are you?"

"I'm his girl."

Silence again then. "His what?"

"His girl. You know, his girlfriend?"

A loud snort. "Bullshit. I just talked to him two days ago and he didn't have a girlfriend then. So, whoever you are, give Spike his cell then take your skanky ass somewhere else and leave him alone."

Buffy swallowed a giggle, "Skanky ass? What makes you think my ass is skanky?"

A not very well suppressed growl floated out of the phone, "Because Spike doesn't just hook up with people. He's not like that, so whatever you did to him to get him to… whatever… just stop doing it and leave him alone. He doesn't need your shit. He's got enough to deal with without some psycho bitch hanging off his dick. So, Miss Skanks-R-Us, pack up your fuck-me pumps or whatever and hit the road."

Buffy yelped, "Dawnie! Mouth!" The silence on the other end stretched on so long that Buffy pulled the phone away from her head and checked to see if the call was still connected. "Dawnie?"

A tiny whisper, "Buffy?"

Buffy grinned, "Yeah. I'm back."

Now Buffy had to pull the phone away from her ear for an entirely different reason. A squeal emanated from the tiny speaker that was loud enough to cause the neighbor's dog to howl in response. She held the phone away from her body, stretching her arm out as far as she could. The squealing finally stopped when Dawn had to suck in a lungful of air. "Buffy! Is that really you?"

She put the phone tentatively back up to her head and giggled, "Yeah, it's really me, and when did you start talking like a… a… I don't know… guest on Springer? Mom raised you better than that, and I'm sure Spike didn't put up with it either."

Dawn laughed, "I live in New York City, Buffy. Besides, I'm an adult, and now I know for sure it's really you. I've only been talking to you for like five minutes and you're already bitching at me."

Buffy giggled again, "Yeah… well, that's what big sisters do."

The smirk Dawn was wearing came through loud and clear, "Yeah. Right." She pulled in another deep breath. "So, which dimension were you in?"

"G'vark. I followed one through a portal and ended up killing ten of them on the other side. I was only there for a few hours, though. For me, it's only two days after I went to the police station about Katrina. You remember that girl Warren killed?"

"Yeah, I remember. And you're ok?"

"Yep. Felt like I'd been hit with a troll hammer when I came back through the portal, but I'm fine now."

"So, have you thrown Spike out of the house yet? Or beat the shit out of him? Again?"

Buffy's knees suddenly gave out and she collapsed onto the bed. She swallowed hard and whispered, "No. Neither."

"You broke his cheekbone, you know, and he couldn't see anything for two days because his eyes were swollen shut. You also knocked one of his fangs loose. It fell out the next time he vamped and took forever to grow back."

A tiny whisper, "I know, Dawnie. I know. Well, I didn't know how bad I hurt him, but I am sorry."

"Did you tell him that?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

"Downstairs talking to Giles. I came up to my room to get dressed after… Giles… um…" She trailed off, biting her bottom lip.

"After Giles what?"

Buffy's cheeks heated up as she twisted the fabric of her skirt in her fingers. "Um… Spike and I were… um… in the kitchen… and Giles…"

"Caught you fucking?"

Buffy's mouth dropped open and she yelped, "Dawnie!"

"What? Am I right?"

If Buffy's cheeks get any hotter, her skin is going to melt right off her face. "Almost. We were… um… done… but… Giles saw…"

"Oh, just spit it out for fuck's sake!"

Buffy's mouth fell open and she sputtered, "Potty mouth!" then took a deep breath and said in a rush, "Giles saw me naked and pinned against the wall with Spike still in me." The rest of her breath exploded from her lungs as Dawn burst out laughing. "It's not funny, Dawnie! Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was? Giles passed out!"

Dawn sucked in a loud breath and laughed some more. "Yeah, I bet. He hasn't been laid since God was a kid."

Buffy was starting to feel like her head was going to explode from all the blood rushing to her face. "DAWNIE!"

Dawn chuckled, "Deal with it, Buffy. I'm not a kid anymore." She stopped chuckling and her tone became serious. "Are you just using him again, Buffy? 'Cause if you are, you need to stop. I don't think he can handle it again, and I won't let you hurt him anymore."

Buffy's fingers clenched the fabric of her skirt in a white-knuckle grip as her breath caught in her throat. She swallowed hard and choked out. "No, I'm not using him. I love him, Dawn."

"You do? You're sure? Does he know?"

"Yes, completely, and yes."

The neighbor's dog was howling again.

**XXXX**

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	23. Chapter 23  Shut It

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Three – Shut It

Buffy floated down the stairs, still talking on the phone. "I know. I'm gonna need a major wardrobe overhaul. Ten years is a long time." She laughed and shook her head, "Um… no job, Dawnie, and no money. We were broke when I disappeared, remember? Hey, how are you paying for college? Did Dad give you money?" She walked over to Spike's chair and plopped down in his lap then pulled her feet up and snuggled into him. "Really? Where'd he get it?" She looked at Spike and raised her eyebrows, then frowned slightly at the look on his face. "Hmmm. Yeah, I guess I will. Ok, here he is. Love you, Dawnie." She moved the phone from her ear to Spike's. "Talk to Dawnie."

Spike grinned as he took hold of the phone, "Hey, Bit."

She leaned close and nibbled up his neck then whispered in his ear, "I love you, Spike." He was looking at her sadly when she pulled back and she thought she saw him shake his head slightly like he was disagreeing with her, but Dawn was talking to him, so maybe he was reacting to what she was saying. She climbed off him and started out of the living room then stopped and turned around. "I'm gonna get some juice or something, would you like something, Giles?"

Giles got to his feet. "I'll come with you." He caught up to her halfway through the dining room, then leaned close and whispered, "I'd like to speak to you about something."

She looked up at him, "Sure, Giles. What is it?"

Giles glanced behind him, looking at Spike, then whispered, "Your feelings for Spike. I'm concerned that you might not be quite yourself. I'm afraid you might be under some kind of supernatural influence, making you think you feel something you don't truly feel, and Spike might be taking advantage of that."

Spike snarled as he turned to glare at Giles over his shoulder. "Spike can hear you, Watcher. Vampire, you git."

Buffy giggled at Spike then looked at Giles. "I'll talk to you about it, but I'm gonna wait until Spike is off the phone. It has to do with him, so he should be in on it." Spike smiled sadly at her, then turned around and concentrated on his conversation with Dawn.

Buffy had started to turn back toward the kitchen door when something on the floor of the dining room caught her eye. Giles noticed that she was staring hard at a dark glob of something on the floor in the corner and walked over to it. He was reaching down to pick it up when Buffy's small hand darted under his and snatched it, lightning quick. She held it behind her and started backing toward the kitchen.

"What is that, Buffy?"

She stammered, "Um… nothing. Just… um… something I forgot to pick up earlier." Her clenched fingers hit the kitchen door and she startled, dropping the item. It flared out as it floated slowly to the floor and landed next to her foot. She looked down in horror and gaped at her pair of shredded panties then looked up to her Watcher's widening eyes.

He glanced at the corner of the dining room with a thoughtful expression, then his eyes fell on the dining room table and his face slowly turned crimson again as he dropped his gaze to the floor in front of his feet. "Uh… yes… quite…"

Buffy bent down and scooped up the torn panties then whirled and pushed the kitchen door open. '_God! Giles saw my underwear! My shredded by vampire fangs underwear! On the dining room floor! Where underwear is definitely not supposed to be!' _She moved quickly across the kitchen, a deep blush heating her face. '_Geez, that's twice. Today! Is it possible to actually die of embarrassment?'_ She quickly stuffed the scrap of cloth into the trash can and covered it with Spike's empty blood bags. '_There. Out of sight, out of mind, right?'_ She straightened up and plastered a smile on her face as she walked over to the fridge. '_I just won't mention it… anything… not the whole against the wall thing… or the shredded panties on the floor thing. I'll be all avoidy, non-mentiony Buffy. Yeah, I can do that._'

A fully embarrassed Giles stepped through the door; gaze firmly planted on the floor just in front of the toes of his shoes. Buffy pulled the orange juice out of the fridge and a glass out of the cupboard then glanced up at him. He was still standing just inside the door with his head down. '_He's way too Stuffy English Tweedy Man to say anything… I hope, 'cause my sex life is something I so don't want to discuss with my Watcher.'_ "Um, Giles? Do you want anything?"

Giles pulled his glasses off and cleared his throat as he dragged his eyes up from the floor. They flicked briefly to the wall by the kitchen door and his reddened face darkened another shade. "Um… no, thank you." He pulled out his polishing cloth and went to work on his already sparkling clean glasses. "Buffy, first I would like to say that I am very happy to see you and that you weren't injured…"

Buffy's brow furrowed and she looked up at Giles as she set the juice jug back on the counter. "I'm sensing a 'but' coming."

Giles grinned a little sheepishly, "But… I'm worried about you, Buffy. Your feelings for Spike…"

Buffy held up her hand. "What did you say to him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be stupid, Giles. You told him that I don't love him, didn't you? That's why he's looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like a kicked puppy."

"Oh. Um… yes, we did have a discussion, and I might have mentioned…"

She picked up her glass and stepped around the island, stopping in front of Giles. "Ok, here's what's going to happen. We're going to go out there, and you're going to explain why you think I don't love him, and I'm going to tell you why you're wrong." She pushed through the door, leaving a stunned Watcher behind her.

"All right, Niblet. See you tomorrow." Spike flipped his phone closed and wrapped his arms loosely around Buffy as she dropped down into his lap.

She set her glass of juice on the table next to the chair and laid her head on Spike's shoulder. "Dawn's gonna be here tomorrow?"

He brushed a kiss across her cheek and murmured, "Yeah."

She lightly pressed a kiss to his neck. "How's she gonna get a flight so soon?"

"Her flat-mate's family owns a jet that he said she could use anytime she likes."

Buffy sat up and looked at Spike. "She's living with a guy?"

Spike smirked, "Three of them, actually."

Buffy's wide-eyed expression made Spike chuckle. "And that's ok with you? What about the growliness, and the bitey threatening?"

He shook his head, still chuckling. "She's not datin' any of 'em, pet, so I don't have to growl and threaten. 'Sides, her flat-mates are all poufs. Nice blokes." His smile faded from his face as he looked at her, then he blinked and looked away.

She lifted her hands and laid them gently on the sides of his face then turned his head back to her. "He's wrong, Spike. I do love you. Now I need you to do something for me. I need to see your vamp face. Please."

The bones of his face shifted under her hands with a low crunching sound and he looked at her with amber eyes. "What's this all about, pet?"

She lifted his top lip with her thumbs and peered at his fangs then whispered, "Which one?" He looked at her in confusion for a few seconds then his tongue slipped forward and touched his left fang. "That's the one I knocked out?" He nodded slightly and she leaned forward and kissed him gently then pressed her forehead to his and whispered, "I'm sorry, Spike."

Giles walked slowly into the living room, keeping his eyes away from the blondes in the chair, and took a seat on the couch. Buffy gently kissed Spike again then turned and snuggled into him, facing Giles. She heard Spike's demon fade as she said, "All right, Giles, let's hear it."

Giles looked over at her curled up in Spike's lap with his arms wrapped tightly around her. Spike was nuzzling her hair and Giles swore he could hear a low rumbling noise that sounded vaguely like purring. "Yes… um… as I told Spike earlier, I believe you might have been affected by the G'vark dimension or the portal in some way. Your demeanor and actions are drastically different than they were before you disappeared. Seeing that the portal and the demon dimension are the only things that have happened to you in that time, it would follow that one of them has caused these changes."

Buffy frowned, "So you think the only way I could love Spike is because I'm under a spell or something?" Her frown deepened when Spike tensed beneath her. She turned her head and lightly pressed a kiss to his neck.

"That is correct. You say that you love Spike now, but you didn't love him before."

"Actually… I did." She smiled when she heard Spike's breath catch in his throat and snuggled further into him.

Giles sputtered, "You… you did?"

Buffy twined her fingers with Spike's and nodded. "Yes, I did. I've loved him for a long time, but I couldn't admit it to anyone, even myself, because I was afraid of how everyone would react. I think my Mom knew, though. She always liked Spike." The Watcher's eyes widened at that and Spike chuckled quietly.

Giles opened his mouth to speak and Buffy held up her hand. "Not done. So, I was afraid of everyone's reactions, and I've always been told, by practically everyone I know, that Spike can't love because he's a soulless demon. Well, he can, Giles. He does." Giles had the good grace to look a little bit guilty at this and Spike squeezed her tighter.

She lifted the hand that was tangled with Spike's and laid their joined hands over her heart. "The men in my life always leave me. First my Dad, then Angel, then Riley, then… you." Spike tensed up slightly when he heard Angel, and a low growl rumbled through his chest when he heard Riley. Giles pulled off his glasses and looked guiltily at his knees. "Spike stayed and kept trying, even though I was treating him like shit. Spike doesn't leave, Giles. These last ten years should have told you that. He didn't have to stay in Sunnydale, but he did."

The polishing cloth came out of his pocket and Giles rubbed furiously at his lenses, "Yes, Buffy, I am quite aware of Spike's… of how tenacious he is, but… that in itself is not enough… to ah… base a relationship on."

Buffy's eyes flashed and Spike could smell the anger jump off her. "So now you're saying that I love Spike just because I can't get rid of him?" The burst of anger that poured off the small woman at the slight nod of her Watcher's head made Spike's nose twitch. "God, Giles! You just can't accept it, can you? Doesn't matter what I say, you're gonna find a reason to tell me I'm wrong. You've been working with Spike for ten years and you still…" Buffy stopped suddenly and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she squeezed Spike's hand. "Look, here's the deal. I love Spike. I don't love him because of some spell, or the stupid portal or whatever, or just because he's all with the stick aroundness. And I'm so completely done trying to convince you that I'm not crazy. Besides, my love life isn't any of your business, so you can just deal with it, Giles. Or don't. I don't care anymore."

"Buffy, I don't think you're crazy… I'm just concerned that your feelings toward Spike changed so drastically in such a short time."

Buffy growled out, "God, are you being this dense on purpose, or is it a Watcher thing? My feelings didn't **change**, Giles, I just finally let myself feel them. When I came back through the portal, I couldn't find Spike anywhere and I thought I'd killed him. It gutted me, Giles. Do you get that? Gutted. Being torn out of heaven didn't make me feel as empty as thinking that Spike was gone." She had to stop and take a few deep breaths to get her emotions under control, and the low rumbling emanating from Spike's chest went a long way in helping to calm her.

She turned and planted a quick kiss on his lips then turned back to face her Watcher. "When I came home and found him in the basement, all un-dusty, and looking completely cute folding laundry by the way, I decided to follow my heart and let myself love him instead of pushing **my** feelings aside to keep **everybody else** happy. You have to know that I wasn't happy before, Giles. You had to have noticed. I was miserable… empty. Just dragging myself through the day, not really caring about anything. Loving Spike makes me happy. I feel stronger and more alive than I have in well… ever. You left me because you wanted me to become an adult, take care of my own crap, make my own decisions. So guess what? This is me… making my own decision. I'm with Spike. He loves me and I love him. Period."

"Yes, Buffy, but…"

Buffy's eyes flashed anger and she sat up suddenly, Spike's arms dropping from around her. He settled his hands lightly on her waist, gently holding her in his lap. "Pet, it's all right." She turned and locked gazes with him and he gasped at the depth of emotion that shone from her eyes. '_Bloody hell. She really does love me. It's not magic or some wonky portal.' _He beamed a smile at her, his blue eyes twinkling, and she turned back to face Giles. '_Glad I'm not the Watcher.' _He unconsciously raised a hand and rubbed at his nose.

Her voice could accurately have been described as a feral growl when she gritted out, "There is no **but,** Giles. Not one. Not even a half of one. I love Spike. It's just that simple and I don't know how much clearer I can make it. And now I'm done talking to you about it… so shut it."

There were two mouths hanging open, one in astonishment and one in surprised pride. Spike snapped his mouth shut first and smirked at the look on the Watcher's face. '_Tosser got off pretty easy. Figured she was about to punch him.' _"Well, Rupert, think my girl's made herself clear. What say we call this subject closed and move on to somethin' else?"

Giles rubbed at his glasses for a few minutes longer then sighed and placed them back on his face. "Yes. I suppose she has. I will concede the point and drop the subject." He looked at Buffy and gave her a weak smile. "As you so succinctly pointed out, you are an adult, and it is not my place to tell you what your feelings are."

Buffy grinned and leaned back into Spike. "Thank you, Giles. Now, Spike has some news that you might be interested in."


	24. Chapter 24  Good Weird

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Four – Good Weird

Giles looked at Spike and raised his eyebrows, "Yes, Spike?"

Spike chuckled slightly under his breath and wrapped his arms tightly around Buffy. "Dru's about, and she's got it in her head that she needs to kill my Slayer to get me back."

Giles blanched a little when he heard 'my Slayer', but he hid it quickly with a look of interest. "And you know this how?"

"I've one of her minions secured at the mansion. Came across him last night and managed to get a bit of info out of him. Dru's makin' minions to watch for Buffy's return. They're the vamps I've been stakin' for the last couple of months."

Giles pulled out a small notepad and a pen from his jacket pocket. "Her victims are not Sunnydale residents, I take it?"

Spike shook his head, "No. I've had no reports of anyone goin' missin' around here, so she must be gettin' 'em from somewhere else and bringin' 'em here after they've risen. They've all been fairly young, a few months at most, except for the one I found last night. He's not much older, maybe five years or so, but he's strong, a lot stronger than a minion should be… and there's somethin'… off… about him. He smells wrong. I can smell Dru's blood in him, but there's… somethin' else."

Giles quickly scratched notes down on his notepad. "And you would like me to research what could be making him stronger and… off, as you say?"

Spike smiled, "Got it in one, Watcher. Another thing. It's not a habit of Dru's to keep minions around for more than a few months."

Giles looked up from his notes, "This is not the first time she's made minions?"

Spike shook his head with a sigh, "All these years as a Watcher and you still know sod all about vampires."

Giles' interested face twisted into a somewhat petulant glare. "In my defense, the information in the Watcher diaries is decidedly lacking on the domestic habits of vampires, and what we do know is mostly hearsay and conjecture. I've had the _honor_ of being exposed to two of the most notorious vampires in history for almost two decades, but I still don't know as much as I'd like, mostly because you and Angel aren't exactly forthcoming with details. And being that both of you are atypical specimens of the species, anything I may have learned thus far most likely does not apply to all vampires."

Spike nodded, "All right, Rupert, point taken. No, it's not the first time. She's made minions before. So have I. So have Angelus and Darla. Master vampires make minions to handle the scut work, cleanin', totin' things about, pickin' up meals, carryin' out the boring, yet necessary bits of evil schemes. It's what vampires do, well, the older ones, anyway. There's two ways to make a new vamp. Minion or Childe. Childer are stronger, cared for and protected. Family. Minions are disposable. Not family. Useful until they're not, then tossed away."

"So, Drusilla keeping a minion longer than is usual means exactly what?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "It means that I think Dru has someone else with her. And this someone is callin' the shots, controllin' her somehow."

"Because she has a five year old minion?"

Eyes rolled again. "Yes, Watcher. She's never had one that made it past six months. We'd make a pile of minions whenever we settled somewhere new, and things would click right along for a few weeks to a few months, then she'd get bored with 'em and dust 'em in a fit of pique and beg me to make her new ones. And we'd never take any with us when we moved. Too much trouble. The fact that this minion has been with her for half a decade, travelin' around with her, tells me that someone else is at the controls."

"Who might it be?"

Spike shrugged, "Not a bloody clue. It's most likely a powerful vamp, probably as old as me or older. Thing is, I don't know of any that would give a toss about me. Well, keepin' me unliving at any rate. Know a few that would probably dust me on sight, but I can't think of any that would take the time to help Dru get me back."

Buffy took Spike's hand in hers, "Unless **they** want to kill me and they're just helping Dru as kind of a side thing."

Giles nodded, "Buffy has a point. Have all the vampires been **her** minions?"

"Don't know. Wasn't near 'em long enough to tell, and didn't particularly give a toss who their bloody sire was."

"You said you could smell her blood in the one you found last night. Couldn't you smell it in the others?"

A low growl rumbled through Spike's chest. "Wasn't near 'em long enough, Watcher. 'S not like we sat down for a chat and a bloody spot of tea. Only reason I smelled Dru in his blood is 'cause I made him bleed. The others I just made dusty."

Buffy turned and looked at Spike, "Do you think they all could've been hers, though? I mean, if this guy is trying to keep from being found out, he wouldn't want to send his own minions, in case you could smell him in their blood, would he?"

Spike smiled, "No, he wouldn't, luv." He pulled her close and nuzzled against her ear. "The prat has no idea what he's in for, goin' up against my Slayer." He straightened up and looked over at Giles. "The wanker's thinkin' he can come in here and off the Slayer, or let Dru do it and I'll toddle off with her to parts unknown, leavin' him here to live happily ever Hellmouth."

Giles nodded, "It's a fair assumption. Now we just need to find out who it is."

Spike nodded, "That we do. First off, need to get Glinda workin' on that minion, see if she can't get somethin' else out of him, or suss out what's different about him. She'll know what to do. Also need Red to do a bit of her hacker mojo and find out where Dru's hunting. If she's turned that many, there's got to be records or reports of missin' or murdered people. Have her start with California and work out from there. Might help us pinpoint where Dru's holed up."

Giles nodded and got to his feet. "I'll get started right away."

Spike shook his head, "No hurry. I've Clem takin' care of the minion, so he'll keep, and Dru doesn't know Buffy's back yet. You can take a few days if you need to, don't smell like you're tip top at the moment."

Giles blushed just a bit. "I'd appreciate it greatly if you refrained from 'smelling' me, Spike. It is rather disconcerting, but yes, I've not been feeling well the last few days."

Spike nodded with a small grin, "Can't help the 'smelling' bit, Rupert. Just won't mention it to you 'less it's somethin' serious, yeah?"

Giles nodded, "Thank you. I'll ring Willow and Tara and ask them to get started, and I can do a bit of research whilst I recuperate."

"Yeah, probably should get the birds on it soon. Glinda would be cross with me if I let that minion stew. She doesn't like to leave 'em in pain for too long."

"She has a good heart."

"That she does, Rupes, that she does. You make sure to tell her to be extra careful with this one. She's not to let him loose for any reason. Keep him bound either physically or magically, but he's not to be unrestrained at any time."

"I'll be sure to tell her. Perhaps she should have Willow accompany her? A bit of magical backup?"

Spike shrugged, "That's up to Glinda. She's always done fine with just Clem assisting, but if she wants Red there… like I said… up to her. I've no problem with it."

Buffy climbed off Spike's lap and stepped in front of Giles. "Thanks, Giles." She wrapped him in a careful hug then let him go and backed up. "I love you, you know."

He smiled warmly as he looked down at her. "I love you, too, Buffy, and I'm very glad you're back." He walked slowly toward the door with Buffy following, then opened it and turned back to face her, "You're sure, Buffy? Completely?"

She nodded, "Yes, Giles. I'm completely sure. I love him." Giles nodded, then stepped through the door and into the sunlight. Buffy watched him walk to his car, giving a little wave as he climbed in. She closed the door when his car disappeared around the corner, then stood motionless, staring at it.

Spike watched her for a few minutes then asked quietly, "You ok, pet?"

She startled and turned to face him. "What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's just weird."

He cocked his eyebrow as he tilted his head. "Weird?"

She leaned back against the door and crossed her arms over her chest, "Yeah. I love you and everyone knows, and they're all not with the wiggins, or trying to stake you, or having me committed. Well, mostly." She noticed the look of concern on his face and smiled. "It's a good weird, Spike."

He smiled back. "Good weird."

She sighed heavily, "Yeah. I just wish I'd known that this was how they'd react. I would've said something earlier."

Spike chuckled a little bitterly. "No, you wouldn't have. You were livin' quite happily next to that river in Egypt, pet. And I remember clearly every beatin' you ever gave me on the subject, served up with a side of methinks the lady doth protest too much." He reached up and absently touched the left side of his mouth. "'Sides, if you had moved off the river ten years ago, it would've been different, kitten. If Harris hadn't staked me, then Ripper would've. For your own good, of course." He got to his feet and took a tentative step towards her. "They're only all right with it now 'cause they've gotten to know me and I've proven myself to them. If you'd told them about us back then, I would've fit in an ashtray."

She frowned and her forehead furrowed, "Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, it took me thinking you were ashtray boy to even get me to admit it to myself, much less anyone else." She glanced over her shoulder at the door. "But Giles still seems a little..."

He shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Watcher's just lookin' out for you, pet. He'll come round… eventually. Tosser can be right thick when he wants to be."

She took a step away from the door. "I hope so, but it still doesn't matter what he thinks, Spike. It's not gonna change how I feel about you."

Spike nodded and suddenly found the floor in front of his bare feet extremely interesting. He shuffled his feet then cleared his throat and whispered, "When did you... uh…"

She waited for him to say something else then prompted him with a whisper of her own. "When did I what, Spike?"

His eyes were still glued to the floor in front of his feet. "When did you... uh... start loving me?"

She stepped close then wrapped her arms around him and tucked her head under his chin. He pulled his hands from his pockets and snaked his arms around her, squeezing her tight as she whispered. "After I came to your crypt, that time Glory took you."

He nodded against the top of her head. "Oh."

She lifted her head away from his chest and looked up at him. "You didn't have to do that, take all that pain, but you did… for me and Dawn. That's when I knew for sure that… you could love." She tucked her head under his chin again and squeezed. "Well, my heart figured it out, but my brain… not so much."

He murmured into her hair, "And you kissed me because you loved me?"

She shook her head almost imperceptibly, "Um… No. Not exactly. I didn't love you when I kissed you, that hit me a little later, when I was walking home. I kissed you because what you did for us… it was..." She squeezed him hard, pressing her forehead into the hollow of his throat. "You let yourself be beaten into hamburger… for us… and then what do I do? Take over where Glory left off, but I don't just beat the crap out of you… oh no… I mess with your mind… and your heart." Her throat constricted and she clutched him tighter, if that was even possible. "God, Spike. How can you love me after the way I've treated you? After all the horrible things I've done to you? You should hate me… push me away and want nothing to do with me."

Spike pulled back and lifted a hand to her chin, raising her face so he could gaze into her eyes. "You listen to me, Slayer. There's no bloody way I could ever want nothing to do with you. I'm love's bitch, yeah? Like I told you before, you're in my gut, in my throat. I'm drowning in you. You're the one, Buffy."

She whispered as tears tracked slowly down her face. "I'm the one?"

He smiled and leaned down to lightly brush his lips across hers, "The only."


	25. Chapter 25  Ignoring

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Five - Ignoring

The floppy-eared demon looked up at the door as the two women walked breezily through it then reached for the remote and muted the TV. "Hi, Willow. Hi, Tara."

Tara stepped toward him as he stood up out of his recliner then wrapped him in a hug, "Hi, Clem." Willow grinned and waved at him from behind Tara.

Clem turned the TV off then motioned toward the kitchen. "You ladies want something to eat? I stocked the kitchen with a bunch of snacks since Spike wasn't sure how long I'd be here."

Willow shook her head. "No thanks, Clem. We just had lunch." She looked toward the door that led to the basement. "Spike wants us to look at the minion to see what's wrong with him."

Tara and Clem shared a look then Tara followed Willow's gaze. "How has he been?"

Clem shrugged, "Fine, I guess. He won't eat, though. I tried to give him some blood earlier and he snapped at me. Almost took my finger off." He held up his left hand, displaying a puffy bandage wrapped around his index finger. "Doesn't talk, either. I stayed down there for almost four hours after Spike left and he never said a word. Just snarled and growled at me. I finally came up here when he fell asleep." He started toward the door, nodding back over his shoulder. "Hopefully you can work your magic on him, Tara."

Willow cast a sideways glance at Tara as they followed Clem down into the dark, dank basement. He led them to a small archway set in the far back corner and picked up a flashlight from a small table. Tara raised her eyebrows at the flashlight and Clem chuckled. "The hallway lights don't work. I think something's wrong with the switch, 'cause I changed the bulbs. I was gonna tell Spike about it when he comes over for Court later."

Willow looked nervously down the pitch-black hallway. "So he's just sitting down there in the dark?"

Clem shook his head, "No, the cell lights work, it's just the hallway." He clicked on the flashlight and moved down the long hallway, stopping in front of the door at the far end. "He's in here."

Tara pulled a chain from under her shirt that had a small silver key hanging from it. She inserted the key into a keyhole that was obviously way to large and jiggled it slightly. A small pop echoed down the hallway and the cell door's locking mechanism released with a loud clank. Willow looked at her wide-eyed as she pulled the door open. "What was that?"

Tara grinned, "My master key. It unlocks any door in the mansion and activates a soundproofing spell and several wards on whatever room I open with it."

Willow nodded faintly, "Oookay." She followed Clem and Tara into the room then blanched when Clem veered to the side and she got a good look at the minion. He was naked and bloody, his pale skin covered in bruises, scrapes, cuts, and welts. His wrists and ankles were manacled and secured tightly to the edges of a large metal table. Heavy leather straps lay across his upper chest and waist, also secured tightly. He was definitely not going anywhere.

Willow's eyes traveled slowly up his body, starting at his feet. She grimaced at the lash marks and deep cuts on his legs, blushed as her eyes skated quickly over the apex of his thighs, then she clapped her hand to her mouth as she took in the heavy bruising and lash marks covering his torso. A loud gasp gusted out between her fingers as her eyes met his. Amber eyes, set in a handsome human face, were boring into her with a look of pure hatred. She turned away quickly and focused her eyes on the open door then whispered, "Goddess! What happened to him?"

Tara stepped slowly toward the table and answered in a calm, soothing voice. "Master Spike happened." She stopped at the side of the table and gently laid her hand on his bicep. Ignoring the low snarl emanating from the vampire's sneering lips, she turned to Clem. "Clem? I need my cart, please. And a basin of clean water. Warm."

Clem nodded, "Sure, Tara. Be right back." He ducked out of the room and walked quickly down the hallway then hung a right when he reached the arch and disappeared into the gloomy basement.

Willow turned slightly toward Tara, but not far enough that she could see the minion. "Cart? Water?"

Tara nodded, gently stroking the minion's arm as he continued to snarl at her. "Yes, baby. I'm going to clean him up and treat his injuries. Could you go to the cell three doors down on the left and get me three heavy blankets and a pillow? They're in the tall cabinet."

Willow nodded and turned back toward the door. "Um… ok." She moved carefully down the hallway, using the scant light from the open door of the vampire's room, and cautiously pulled open a heavy metal door. She flicked a switch and blinked rapidly as fluorescent lights, suspended from the stone ceiling, flooded the room with a harsh, white light. There was a hospital bed pushed up against one rough stone wall with a large metal cabinet against the other. A small fridge, with a microwave perched on top, was crammed into the space between the cabinet and the corner, obviously receiving power from the heavy-duty extension cord dangling from a small hole in the ceiling. A large cart stuffed with medical supplies sat against the wall opposite the door, just under where a window would be if the cell was above ground.

Willow walked to the cabinet and pulled the doors open, eyes widening at the selection of items stacked on the shelves. There were several blankets and pillows stuffed into the top two shelves, a few stacks of hospital gowns on the third, and a large selection of restraints on the fourth. The bottom shelf contained stacks of neatly folded towels and washcloths, separated by size into clear plastic bins. She pulled three blankets off the top shelf then snagged a pillow as she muttered to herself, "My girlfriend has lots of 'splainin' to do."

She closed the cabinet doors and stepped through the cell door into the hallway, almost slamming into Clem. He jumped back with a startled yelp, "Whoops! Sorry!"

She smiled, "No problem," then stepped to the side and Clem slipped past her. He opened the cabinet and grabbed two handfuls of small towels, placing them into a bin on the top of the cart. Willow watched him release the brakes on the cart wheels with practiced motions then turn it to push it toward the door. She tightened her grip on the blankets. "You and Tara do this kind of thing a lot?"

Clem looked up at her with a grin, "Not for a while. Things have been really calm for a long time, but yeah, we've done this before."

Willow frowned and glanced down the hallway at the occupied cell. "When? Why?"

Clem motioned for her to step back into the cell, then leaned against the cabinet. "We started right after Spike took over, when he was fighting all those challengers." He nodded toward the hospital bed. "We set up this room to hold all the stuff we needed to get him cleaned up and healed enough to go again. After he was accepted as Master, we took care of demons who wouldn't give up information he needed."

Willow glanced at the hospital bed, the wheels in her head turning. "So… Spike beats them up and you fix them?"

Clem nodded with a small shrug, "Yeah, pretty much. The ones who… uh… cooperated with Spike, we fixed up and let go. The ones who didn't… well… it's kind of a Good Cop, Bad Cop thing. Spike is the Bad Cop. He gets as much info as he can with fists and fangs… and… uh… other stuff. Then Tara comes in and cleans them up and makes them comfortable while she's talking to them and asking questions. You know… Good Cop."

"So Spike just goes around torturing demons? And this is ok? We're ok with this now? I mean, I know he kills demons, the bad ones anyway, but torture? I thought he was all against that since the whole Initiative sticking a chip in his head thing."

Clem's face was a mask of confusion. "Uh… no… I mean yes? Um… Spike is the Master of Sunnydale. You know what that means, right?"

Willow shook her head. "I guess I really don't. I know he's the Master, but I don't know much about how that works. I mean, he's just Spike. I've known him forever. I know he can be scary – hello… broken bottle in my face scary – but to me… he's… Spike – your friendly neighborhood vampire."

Clem shook his head tiredly, "There's a lot more to being Master than just being scary. He has to deal with all the stuff it takes to run a Hellmouth. He's responsible for the whole town, Willow, not just the demons, even if a lot of the humans in Sunnydale don't even know he exists. They're alive because Spike does what he has to. The Hellmouth attracts bad demons that want to hurt people, well, not so much anymore, but it used to. Spike had to know which demons were coming to town and what they planned to do when they got here." He reached up and scratched at his head with one long claw. "And no, Spike doesn't just go around torturing demons because he's bored or something. He only hurts them when they won't tell him what he needs to know, and he hasn't had to kill any to prove his place for years now. His place is accepted. He's Master."

"And Tara helps him hurt the demons?"

Clem looked completely shocked and a little bit offended. "No! Tara never hurts. She heals and comforts. She doesn't have a hurting bone anywhere in her body." He tapped on the top of the cart for a minute, thinking. "Doing what they do has kept this town safe for years. Spike has to be violent and vicious sometimes. Demons expect it, and they wouldn't respect him or follow his orders if he wasn't, and Tara understands that. They work really well together, they complement each other, and she kind of keeps him reigned in. He can get pretty brutal when he gets frustrated and lets his demon take over too much. She calms him down and gets him back on track, but she never hurts. Never."

"But she just stands there and watches Spike do the hurting? I never thought she could do something like that."

Clem shook his head again, "No. She's usually nearby, in case Spike starts going a little overboard, but she doesn't watch. She doesn't like it when Spike works, but she knows that sometimes it's necessary. There have been lots of people saved because she helped Spike get the information he needed to stop whatever bad stuff was going to happen."

Willow nodded faintly and backed toward the bed as Clem straightened up and started pushing the cart toward the door. "I better get this in there. She won't need the blankets until after she gets him cleaned up, so you can stay in here for a while if you don't want to watch. I'll come get you."

She watched him push the cart through the door, her mind whirling. '_Tara never told me about any of this, did she? I didn't know about the Vampire Court thing, well I kind of did, I mean, I knew she went to them, but I didn't know she helped until she told me about it yesterday. She said that she thought I knew. It looks like she's been helping Spike run Sunnydale the whole time and I never noticed.'_ Willow sat down on the bed and looked down at the blankets in her arms as her mind worked, slowly going over everything and analyzing it. Her eyes closed and her breathing slowed down as she put herself into a light trance, trying to pull up memories. Images of Tara flashed across her mind, interspersed with snippets of conversations she really hadn't paid that much attention to at the time; too involved in her computer work, controlling her magic, research, or the shop.

XXXX

Tara was standing by the door of their apartment, not long after they'd moved in, with a large hemp bag slung over her shoulder. "I'll be back later, baby. Spike needs me at Court. There are several new demon residents who are going to introduce themselves today and he needs me to read their auras. It could be a long night."

Willow nodded distractedly as she typed away on her laptop. "Ok. See you later. Say hi to Spike for me. Love you."

XXXX

The door to their apartment opened and Tara tiredly stumbled through, the front of her dress stained with dark maroon patches and one sleeve torn almost completely off. There was a smudge of dirt across one cheek and her hair was in disarray. Willow barely glanced up from the book she was reading and said, "Hi, baby," then looked back down at the dusty pages.

Tara trudged across the living room and dropped her bag at the end of the couch. "Clem and I finally got Spike cleaned and bandaged. Goddess, he was a mess. That last demon was really tough and it took Spike a long time to kill it. Hopefully the next challenger will wait a few days until he's completely healed." She looked down at the blood staining her dress and lifted a hand to pick at her torn sleeve. "I just wish my healing magic worked on him so he wouldn't thrash around so much from the pain while I'm cleaning him up. I hate using the restraints on him." She dropped her hand away from her sleeve then stood by the end of the couch; her shoulders slumped in exhaustion as she waited for a response. Willow kept reading her book and Tara sighed, "I'm going to go take a shower."

Willow didn't look up. "Oh… ok, can you order something for dinner when you're done?"

XXXX

As several more memories played out in her mind, Willow became more and more horrified and ashamed of herself. She'd noticed that the memories of Tara talking about her work with Spike were all from the first few years after Spike had taken over. Willow snapped herself out of the trance, jerking violently and flinging the blankets and pillow across the room. She leaned back against the wall, panting and shaking as tears of shame coursed down her cheeks. Tara hadn't told her anything for a long time. She'd stopped giving details about what she was doing; she'd just say that she was going to Spike's. Not even going to the Vampire Court. Just Spike's. And when she'd come home with blood on her clothes, she wouldn't mention it, and Willow had never asked.

Willow fisted her hands in her eyes, angry at herself. "Goddess! She tried to tell me about this stuff for years and I just ignored her! If it didn't have to do with me, I didn't care. Geez, Willow. Selfish much? She's been there for me through everything, absolutely everything! All the magic junk… if it wasn't for her, I'd probably be dead now… or I might've killed someone. She listens to me when I talk about my computer stuff, even when I can tell she doesn't understand half of what I'm saying, but she still listens. Goddess, how could I do that to her? Why is she even still with me?"

XX

XXXX

XX

Buffy stretched out, shivering in anticipation, as she heard Spike start stomping down the basement stairs. He'd taken quite a while in the kitchen, but spaghetti with handmade meatballs and sauce made from scratch takes time, which was exactly why she'd asked him to make it for her. She drew in a nervous breath, hoping that he wasn't too mad at her as she looked down at herself. She smiled widely. '_He won't be mad for very long.'_ She shivered again as he stepped off the bottom stair and turned to face the bed.


	26. Chapter 26  Martha Stewart

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Six – Martha Stewart

The vampire on the table growled loudly when Clem pushed the cart into the cell and Tara made a quiet shushing sound. "It's just Clem. He's here to help and he's not going to hurt you, I promise." The vampire eyed her warily then glanced over at Clem as he set up a small cart. He put the basin of water on top, then took the pile of towels out of the bin on the medical cart and dropped them next to the basin, setting the now empty bin on the bottom shelf of the small cart to catch the soiled towels. The growling had stopped, but the vampire was still rigid and tense. His nostrils flared widely as Clem uncapped several small bottles and lined them up on top of the medical cart.

Tara smiled down at him, "Those smell good, don't they? They're healing potions I developed specifically for vampires. I tried to make them smell as good as I could because I know vampire noses are really sensitive. They'll help heal you faster, but I do need you to feed. You won't heal properly if you're underfed." The vampire's fangs dropped as he eyed her neck with a low snarl. Tara's smile never faltered, "Not from me, but I'll have Clem bring you some blood. Nice and warm." The snarl got louder and the vampire shook his head, his demon receding and his eyes fading from amber to a deep brown.

Tara clucked at him and smirked, "Going to be difficult, huh? I'm used to it, believe me. You're not the first stubborn vampire I've ever dealt with. And I'm just letting you know, I can get the blood into you without your help, but I'd rather you feed yourself. I don't want to force you, but I will if you make me. You need the blood to heal." The vampire snarled quietly.

Clem set a pile of bandages on the medical cart next to the small bottles then started for the door. "I'll give you some time to work then I'll warm some blood. Do you want me to bring Willow back in or take her upstairs with me?"

Tara turned away from the table and looked down the hall. "Um… maybe see if she wants to go upstairs. She brought her laptop, so she could get started on the research Master Spike wanted done. Besides, she seems kind of wigged about this whole thing."

"You haven't told her about this stuff, have you? She asked me about it when I went to get the cart."

Tara sighed, "I tried to tell her, Clem, dozens of times, but she just wasn't interested, I guess. Of course, when we started this, Willow was kind of going through some stuff, and hearing about Vampire Court and Master Spike just seemed to be too much for her. She basically just blocked it out. She'd hear me when I talked about anything else, but anything Court or Master Spike related and she just kind of blanked out. I stopped telling her about it after a while 'cause it was just too hard."

"You sure you want me to take her up? She might understand it better if she sees what you do."

Tara shook her head and smiled back down at the vampire. "No, that's ok. I'll talk to her about it later. Maybe she'll hear me this time. Besides, I think he'll be more comfortable if it's just me. Could you bring the blankets and pillow in before you go up? Just set them on that table by the door."

Clem nodded as he stepped through the door, "Ok, Tara. Be right back." He moved quickly down the hallway and peeked into the supply cell. Willow was on the bed, leaning against the wall with her hands in her lap as she stared blankly at the cabinet. Clem could smell tears as he stepped into the cell and scooped up the bedding off the floor then headed back down the hallway. He dropped them on the small table and looked over at Tara. She was gently sponging blood off the vampire's leg as she spoke quietly. "Anything else I can do?"

She looked up and shook her head, "I'm ok for now, thanks. I'll buzz if I need anything."

"Ok." Clem pulled the door shut behind him and headed back to the red-headed witch.

XX

XXXX

XX

He'd been surprised at her request and had argued that they'd eaten breakfast only a few short hours ago. She'd whined and explained that she was still kind of hungry because she hadn't had much to eat the day before, and with her Slayer metabolism, she needed more food to keep up her strength. He'd offered to call a restaurant and have something delivered and then help her work up a bigger appetite while they waited.

He really hadn't been Mr. Happy Vampire when she'd told him that she wanted **him** to make it. He'd balked, telling her that she could 'bloody well haul her pretty little arse to the kitchen and help out, if she was so keen on a gourmet meal.' She'd kissed him soundly then told him she was a little tired and wanted to rest for a while. He'd sputtered that he'd been beating information out of a minion for half the night and he'd gotten even less sleep than she had. Then he'd pouted and muttered that he wasn't 'her bloody servant.'

She'd asked him what had happened to 'you can ask me anything' and he'd smirked and told her that she was free to ask, but it didn't mean that he wasn't going to argue about it, and he 'has a reputation to uphold, you know.'

She'd grinned to herself over his stubbornness as she'd exhausted almost her entire repertoire of puppy dog eyes and pouty faces to avoid giving away the real reason behind her request. In the end, after much arguing and grumbling about how he wasn't a ponce, he was the 'bloody Master of the bloody Hellmouth'; he'd grudgingly acquiesced and had stomped up the stairs, slamming the door behind him.

XXXX

As soon as Spike's denim-clad backside disappeared through the door at the top of the stairs, Buffy vaulted off the bed and made a beeline for the jumble of boxes crammed under them. "God, I hope he didn't get all Martha Stewart and decide to dig out our baby pictures to make a collage or something." She started pulling boxes off the stack – trying to be quiet because she was supposed to be resting – as she searched for a box labeled _Buffy's Skating Stuff._ She almost crowed in delight when she found it, but swallowed the noise before it could pass her lips. She dropped the large box on the floor at her feet and opened the flaps then pushed aside a few pairs of ice skates in different sizes and a tangled clump of skating costumes.

Her grin almost split her face in two as she slid the non-descript white box out from under the jumbled mess of ice skating paraphernalia. She set it carefully on the floor then quickly cleaned up her mess, trying to fit the boxes back under the stairs in their original configuration. She ruefully decided that puzzles were not her forte when the last box refused to fit in the only open space. She wedged it crookedly into the opening and pushed, but it wouldn't budge. "Grrrr! It almost fits! I only need a stupid quarter of an inch more room!" A loud noise from upstairs reminded her of her time limitations, and she backed up quickly then spun, her leg swinging up in a high kick. The flat of her foot landed squarely on the side of the offending box and it scooted into the hole like that's where it had wanted to be all along. She dropped her leg and huffed. "Slayer – 1. Stupid box – 0."

She snatched up the white box and headed back to the bed, glancing up the stairs as she passed them by. She took the lid off the box and removed the items inside, laying them out on the bed, then stashed the empty box behind Spike's weapons chest. She listened for Spike's movements in the kitchen, which weren't all that hard to make out, considering how loudly he was slamming things around. "Guess I pissed him off." She giggled and moved to the bed then started getting things set up.

XXXX

"Bloody bint. She's gone completely sack of hammers." Spike mumbled under his breath as he moved around the kitchen, getting a plate out of the cupboard and a fork out of the drawer. "Wants spaghetti of all things. Now. Finally get rid of the soddin' Watcher, the rest of the Scoobies are otherwise occupied, we've got the house all to ourselves, and she'd rather have me playin' at bein' an Italian chef over shaggin' ourselves stupid."

The poor phone on the wall almost flinched under the evil glare he threw at it. "Can't order in, either. She wants **me** to make it. Says it's what boyfriends do. Completely sack of bloody hammers." He snorted as he scooped a pile of noodles onto the plate, arranging them just so and making sure none of them flopped over the edge. He poked an errant noodle back into the pile then stopped and stared at them in disbelief. He groaned and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm a right bloody ponce, I am."

He picked up the pan of meatballs with a sigh and arranged half a dozen of them evenly around the pile of noodles. "Had to be handmade. Couldn't just crumble some hamburger into the bloody sauce, now could I? Noooo, have to make meatballs." He gave the innocent meatballs an evil glare, flashing a bit of fang, then snagged the pot of sauce off the stove, grumbling as he ladled it over the noodles. "Homemade bloody sauce, as well! Can't have it from a jar, oh no, even though I've half a dozen of the soddin' things sittin' right there in the bleedin' pantry!" He thumped the pot back down on the stove then stomped over to the fridge and yanked the door open. He searched the shelves, grumbling the whole time, and finally spied the container of grated parmesan. He sprinkled a good portion over the steaming plate then shoved it back into the fridge and slammed the door.

He slid the plate onto a tray, plopped the fork down next to it and set a tall glass of milk next to the fork. "There. Bloody homemade spaghetti dinner." He quickly put the rest of the food in the fridge, stuffing the pots and pans into whatever empty space he could find, then picked up the tray and headed for the basement, still grumbling. "Soddin' Slayer better enjoy this. Lot of bloody work for one bloody meal." He stomped through the door and down the stairs then turned the corner at the bottom and stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth dropping open.

Buffy was in his bed, which was where he expected her to be, but… He gasped and his fingers tightened roughly on the edges of the tray, making the milk slosh alarmingly in the glass as he breathed out, "Bloody hell."


	27. Chapter 27  Pressie

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Seven – Pressie

Buffy stretched sensually, arching her back as she lightly rattled the handcuffs securing her wrists to the top bar of the low, wrought iron headboard.

Spike took a step forward, the tray shaking, and whispered again, "Bloody hell."

She giggled as she slowly lifted one foot and moved the toe of her blood red, spiked-heel shoe in a small circle. "You said that already. Maybe you should put the tray down before you drop it."

He couldn't get his brain to work as he stood there staring at his bed, the tray still shaking. The bed that – before last night – had never had a woman in it. Well, unless you counted the times that Niblet would sit with him and work on her homework while he read a book or took a nap. Or the times that Glinda would hold him, murmuring soothing spells under her breath while he screamed and thrashed through another nightmare.

His bed had a woman in it. And not just any woman. Buffy. In handcuffs.

The sight currently before him was almost exactly like the image that had exploded in his brain when he'd first laid eyes on this bed at that soddin' furniture store Dawn had dragged him to. The Buffy in his mind had been starkers, but this Buffy was wearing…

"Bloody hell."

XX

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XX

"Just leave off, Niblet! I don't need a bloody new bed! Got a perfectly serviceable one back at the crypt."

She tugged on his arm, trying to get him to stand up. "Yes you do, Spike. You can't keep sleeping on this cot. Or actually, **not** sleeping on it. You look like crap."

He growled, not meaning to frighten her, but he **was** exhausted and his back hurt from trying to sleep on the ruddy cot. His cheekbone ached because it wasn't quite healed yet, and his bloody fang was itching like mad as it grew back in. Not to mention that he was hungry, bloody starving actually, but there was no blood in the house and he hadn't had time to go get any. Well, time was a factor, sure, but there was also the small detail of him being completely skint. The Scoobies sure as hell weren't falling all over themselves to make sure he was fed, either. Niblet had asked them about it several times, she'd even stomped her feet and pouted a bit, but there was always _something more pressing_ that needed to be done before one of them could make a trip to the butcher's or down to Willie's.

Maybe he could scare Willie into delivering some. Willie knew he was fangless, but maybe being threatened with a visit from the Slayer would do the trick. He shook his head sadly. No, Willie wouldn't let him run a tab anymore, at least not until he'd paid what he already owed. Willie also knew that the Slayer would never, ever, no way in bloody hell pay for blood, at least not for Spike, so that option was so far off the table that it had just fallen over the edge and gone splat on the floor.

He slumped back against the wall, his stomach rumbling. Best deal with the problem at hand and hopefully the blood issue would sort itself. "Bit, I don't need a bed. Not gonna be stayin' here much longer, anyway. Actually, I should just nip back to my crypt right now, 'fore your sis comes back from wherever the hell she is and beats my arse for bein' in her house." '_'Cause the state I'm in, she could probably dust me without even breaking a sweat.'_

Dawn looked at him, slightly panicked, "You can't leave yet! Uh… you're not healed!" She leaned down and rubbed her fingers gently over his cheekbone. "Your cheek is still really bruised and your fang hasn't grown back yet. You can't be out there with only one fang!"

He leaned his head back away from her touch and looked toward the washing machine. "I'll get by, luv. Bagger, remember? Bloody pathetic excuse for a vamp, can't bloody bite anything anyway. Don't need my soddin' fangs."

Now she was looking at him angrily as she straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are not pathetic! Just because you can't hurt humans doesn't mean that you're not a kick-ass demon fighter! And you can too bite things! They just can't be human things."

Spike sighed tiredly, "Ok, Bit, I'm not pathetic. Can we just drop it now? Don't need a bed."

Dawn tugged on his arm again, gearing up for a teenage whine-fest the likes of which the world had never seen. "You have to come, Spike! You just have to! Pleeease! I can't go all by myself! It's after dark! I'll get eaten!"

He glared up at her, "Then don't go. I don't need a bed."

She muttered under her breath, "Stubborn damn vampire." She let go of his arm and sat down next to him on the cot, deciding to try a different tack since he wasn't swayed even a little bit by her whining. "Well… Spike… here's the thing. Giles gave me some money to buy you a bed and the other stuff you'll need."

He tilted his head at her. "Stuff I'll need for **what**, exactly?"

"Um… well… for living here. I told everybody that you were moving in and you needed some new stuff, since most of the stuff at your crypt is pretty much… uh… trashed."

Spike snorted, "Bet that went over like a soddin' lead balloon. So when's the whelp plannin' on stakin' me then? Like to get a few bottles of Jack in me first."

"He's not going to stake you. Nobody is. They're not happy about you being here, but I told all of them that until we find Buffy, this is my house and I'll have whoever I want in it. You're staying."

Spike chuckled, "That what all the yellin' and door slammin' was about earlier? Me movin' in here?"

Dawn blushed, "Sorry we woke you up; I know you haven't gotten hardly any sleep since…"

"Don't worry 'bout me, Niblet. I'll sleep after we find her. Speakin' of which, isn't it past your bedtime? Don't you have school tomorrow?"

She grinned and bumped his shoulder with hers, "No, doofus, tomorrow's Saturday, that's why I'm taking you to the Midnight Madness sale at the furniture store so we can get you a new bed. On sale even! And maybe a dresser, and one of those closet-cupboardy things to hang your clothes in."

"Armoire, pet. Or wardrobe."

"Right. Whatever. So, get up and let's go."

Spike sighed, "It'd be a waste of time and money, luv. Soon as your sis turns up I'll be tossed out on my arse, so let's not, all right?"

Dawn looked down at the floor in front of the cot. "What if she doesn't, Spike? What if she's dead?"

Spike reached over and gently lifted her chin, looking into her watery eyes. "She's not, pet. We've found no body and no blood. She's around somewhere and she'll turn up eventually. Nothin' can keep your sis down for long."

She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, sobbing quietly. He hugged her tight, rubbing slow circles on her back as her hot tears slid down his neck and soaked into the collar of his t-shirt. When her sobs had tapered off and her breathing had returned to normal, she sat back and smiled weakly, "You'll stay until she comes back, right?"

He nodded and gently wiped her cheekbone with his thumb. "Yeah, pet. I'll stay till the Slayer tosses me out, but I'll just stick with the cot."

"No."

He quirked his scarred eyebrow and snorted, "No? No what? That I won't be tossed out? It's a given that I will be, pet. Just hope the sun's not up when she does, although I doubt that'll matter much to her."

"No, you're not sleeping on this cot anymore. You're coming to the furniture store with me and we're going to buy you a bed and stuff. The flyer said free delivery and they promise to have it delivered tonight, so you'll have a nice comfy bed to sleep in tomorrow. Now get your vampire butt up and let's go."

Spike looked around the cramped basement. "Where you gonna put a bed, Niblet? There's barely enough room down here for the bloody cot."

She pointed across the basement. "Xander's gonna clean out that space over there and take the shelves down while we're at the store. That'll be your room."

Spike smirked, "Is he now. And how'd you get him to agree to that? He'd cut his own soddin' arm off 'fore doin' anythin' to help me."

Dawn giggled, "I threatened to feed all his comic books into a wood chipper."

Spike burst out laughing as Dawn stood up and tugged on his arm. He was on his feet and halfway up the stairs before his laughter tapered off into amused chuckling. "You're quite a bird, pet. Got a way of knowin' just how to hit a bloke where it hurts. Would've loved to see the look on the whelp's face, bet it was bloody priceless."

Dawn giggled as they stepped into the kitchen. "It was." She looked at the clock on the microwave then pulled Spike's duster off the hook by the back door. "Here. We've got to get going. Xan's gonna be here in a few minutes and I want to be gone by then. Don't feel like breaking up **another** snark-fest between you two."

Spike was still chuckling as she pulled him through the kitchen door.

XX

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XX

He'd died. Again. And apparently, because of some complete cock-up on the part of some useless, pencil-pushing, lower-level angel, he'd gone to heaven. Because that was the only possible explanation. And of course heaven smelled like spaghetti and milk and Buffy. Why wouldn't it?

"Spike? Hello?" Buffy rattled the handcuffs loudly, trying to get her vampire's attention. '_Crap. I think I broke his brain. The lady at the store really should've mentioned that might be a side effect of this outfit. She totally fell down on the job on that one.' _Her eyes traveled from his wide-eyed, slack jawed expression down over his still bandaged chest – partially obscured by the steaming plate of spaghetti – to the very obvious bulge straining against the front of his jeans. '_Well, big brain has apparently left the building, but little brain is wide awake and ready to play.' _

She looked over her gob smacked, tray-holding vampire and chuckled. '_Statue Spike, while nice to look at, is not so much with the fun-having.'_ She pursed her lips then let loose with the loudest whistle she could and Spike jerked, making the milk glass rock precariously and almost tumble off the tray altogether. He reached for the glass and steadied it then shakily stepped forward and balanced the tray on the tallest stack of books on his dresser. She smiled when he turned to face her. "Are you ok?"

His gaze swept over her from head to toe and back again. When his eyes met hers they were black with lust and she gasped as a bolt of heat shot through her body and settled between her legs. His nostrils flared and he licked his lips as he stalked toward the bed with a low growl. He stopped at the end of the bed, resting one hand on the toe of her shiny red shoe as he adjusted himself with the other. "Bloody hell."

She giggled and rattled the handcuffs again. "You're stuck on repeat, Spike. Let me hit your reset button." Buffy raised the foot not covered by his hand and pressed the spiked heel lightly into the bulge in his jeans. His hand tightened on her shoe and his eyes drifted shut as he moaned low in his throat. He reached down and cupped her heel in his hand, rubbing himself on the sole of her shoe, then moved her foot to the side and lifted one knee to the bed. He slowly crawled toward her and settled himself between her thighs then leaned down, grinding against her as he nipped lightly at her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing the heels of her shoes into his thighs and whispered. "You back now?"

He nodded against her skin and murmured, "Yeah. I'm back."

He licked a tingling trail from just behind her ear to where her neck met her shoulder and she writhed beneath him, gasping when a fang sliced through the thin strap on her shoulder. "You like your present?"

He lifted his head and leered down at her, a growl rumbling through his chest. "Love my pressie, pet, and I'm gonna spend the rest of the afternoon unwrappin' it. Slowly."

XX

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XX

"Thomas? Where are you, my pretty Tommy? Miss Edith is all set for tea and you must come, you simply must!"

A large vampire growled and rose quickly from his place behind a large metal desk. "Nathan! What the hell is she doing loose? She's supposed to be chained in her goddamn room! I really don't need her babbling her crazy in my ear right now!"

A skinny, long-haired vampire bolted forward from where he had been lounging against the wall. "I'll take care of it, Sire."

The large vampire shook his head as he stepped around the desk. "No. I didn't ask you to take care of it, Nathan. I asked who was supposed to have **already** taken care of it. I want to know who let the crazy bitch loose."

Nathan looked around the spartan room at the half a dozen vampires who all looked suddenly interested in the floor at their feet or the lights dangling from the ceiling. He pointed to a small, boyish looking vamp that was trying to edge behind a larger man, hoping to escape notice. "Ronnie's the one I sent to take care of Mistress Drusilla, Sire."

The large vampire turned to Ronnie, his eyes glinting amber, and pointed to a spot on the floor. "Here. Now."

Ronnie stepped slowly forward, his eyes downcast, and stopped just out of arms reach, fear causing him to tremble. "I'm sorry, Sire, but she begged me to unchain her. She said she'd stay in her room and play with her dolls. She's so small and the chains looked like they were hurting her."

Ronnie quaked as the large vampire's loud growl echoed around the cavernous space. "She's crazy, Ronnie. Completely batshit crazy. That's why, even though she made me, I'm the one in charge. And that's why you're supposed to do what I say, not what she says. And… she's a vampire, you idiot. She gets off on pain… and chains." He sneered at the much smaller man. "And I'm pretty sure we've already covered what happens to minions that don't follow orders, haven't we?"

Ronnie stumbled back a step as the snarling vampire suddenly advanced on him, but he wasn't quite fast enough to prevent his head from being violently torn from his body. The large vampire clapped his hands together then brushed Ronnie's dust from his clothes as he sat calmly in his chair. He pointed to the vampire Ronnie had been trying to hide behind, "You think you can do a better job?"

The minion nodded emphatically as he started toward the raven haired vampire currently spinning in a circle in the corner, singing to herself. "Yes, Sire. I'll take her to her room and make sure she's secure. Anything else you want me to do?"

"Yes. Give her another dose. I want her quiet. Hell, give her two. That should shut her up until we get back tonight."

He nodded again as he gently took Drusilla's arm and led her out of the room. She was still singing as she was led down the long corridor and around the corner, out of sight.

**XXXX**

Ok, don't ask me where the flashback came from. I tried not to write it, but it kept whining and stomping its feet and kicking me in the shins. I don't know if it adds anything to the story or not, but there it is. Man, my shins hurt.


	28. Chapter 28  Brain Goo

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Eight – Brain Goo

Clem walked back into the cell and stopped in front of Willow then reached out and lightly touched her knee, "Willow? Do you want to go upstairs? Tara's gonna be a while and she said something about your laptop and some research for Spike."

Willow started at his touch and looked up at him with watery eyes. "What? Oh sure… yeah… research. I'm on it."

She climbed off the bed and followed Clem out of the cell and back to the first floor. She pulled her laptop out of the case and set it on the dining room table as Clem disappeared into the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later carrying a tray of snack food and a six-pack of soda. Willow was staring off into space as she waited for her computer to boot up and he slid the tray onto the table then put down the six-pack with a small thump.

She startled again and blushed, "Sorry… did you say something?"

He chuckled and shook his head, "No, just brought you some snacks. What's Spike having you do research for?"

The screen flashed and she started tapping on the keyboard, "Um… I'm supposed to look for deaths and disappearances to try and find out where Drusilla is getting her minions, because she's not getting them here."

"Oh." Clem picked up a soda and cracked it open with a loud hiss. "So… are you ok?"

She looked up at him in surprise, her hands sliding off the keyboard and into her lap. "No. Not really." She looked down at her hands, "I'm really mad, Clem."

"Mad at who? About what?"

She raised her head, blinking rapidly as she tried to keep the tears at bay. "Myself. Because I'm a selfish loser that Tara should've dumped years ago."

Clem's look of complete shock brought a small smile to her face as he sputtered, "What? No. No you're not! And Tara loves you!"

She flinched, dropping her gaze to her lap again. "Yes, I am, Clem. And I know she does, I just can't figure out why." She took a deep breath and the words started spilling out of her in the usual Willow babbling format. "She's amazing, Clem. Completely amazing. With the magic, and the helping, and she's a lot more powerful than I am, but she uses it for good things and she's really good at it. I suck. I'm powerful, sure, but I usually mess things up more than I do anything right. I've almost gotten my friends killed because of my screwed up magic more times than I can count. I made us all lose our memories and we almost got eaten by vampires… I made Giles blind… Buffy was gonna marry Spike… well, that kind of worked out... Xander and Anya were almost killed by demons… I released a huge troll that destroyed the Bronze…"

Clem held up his hand, "Willow!"

She sputtered to a stop and looked up at him. "What?"

"I don't think your magic is the problem… is it?"

Willow's eyes widened and her face clouded with shame. "Goddess! I just did it again! It's all about me! me! me! I should be finding out about all the stuff my girlfriend's been doing for the last however many years and all I'm doing is feeling sorry for myself! I'm hopeless!"

Clem smiled and said quietly, "You're not hopeless, Willow. Do you want me to tell you about what Tara does? How she helps Spike? How important she is to Sunnydale?"

Willow closed her laptop and pulled a soda out of one of the rings then cracked it open and stood up. "Let's go sit in the living room. I have a feeling this is going to be a long conversation."

XX

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XX

Spike wasn't kidding, not even an itty bitty bit, when he said 'slowly.' He'd been teasing and torturing her for hours, licking, nibbling, and kissing every inch of her body as he unwrapped his present. Buffy was a quivering mass of need and want, even though he'd used those immensely talented lips, fingers, tongue, and teeth to bring her over the edge five… or was it six… maybe seven?… times. She couldn't think beyond what part of her he was touching… or… '_ohhh… yeah… right there_…' licking. She'd lost the ability to form words a while ago and could now only make keening moans, grunts, and breathy gasping noises.

He rose from his position between her thighs and sat back on his heels, licking his lips lasciviously. He was still wearing his jeans, and the really getting raggedy bandages, but Buffy was completely unwrapped. Well, not completely. She was still wearing the shoes. And the handcuffs. He reached behind him and, starting at the shoes, slid his hands slowly up her legs then leaned down and nipped softly at the underside of her breast. She arched toward him when his tongue licked up and circled the nipple, teasing it into an even stiffer peak. "You ready for me, pet?"

With the whole word-forming part of her brain currently reduced to a trembling puddle of goo, Buffy could only nod and make a noise that was supposed to be, 'Get those jeans off and get over here, Spike.' but came out as, "Guh."

Spike smirked and levered himself gracefully off the bed. Buffy's head turned and watched him as he slowly popped the buttons of his jeans and slid them down over his hips. Her hands itched to touch and her mouth watered as he wrapped his long fingers around his shaft and stroked himself languidly. Buffy clenched and unclenched her fingers, rattling the handcuffs and trying to tell him, without words, that he needed to get on with the getting off. Now.

Spike stepped to the end of the bed and just stood there… looking. Buffy was flushed all over and a light sheen of sweat coated her sun-kissed skin. She had small red marks, a few just starting to bruise, sprinkled liberally across her torso and thighs, marking some of the places Spike's mouth had paid a visit. She raised a trembling foot, still encased in a blood-red shoe, and pointed her toe, tapping him lightly on the thigh as if to remind him of what he was supposed to be doing. His lips curled into a smile and his voice dripped over her like melted chocolate. "You want me, luv?"

She wanted to scream, "God yes! I want you. I want you now! Stop teasing me and just do it, you… you… teaser!" but that part of her brain was still with the trembling goo-ness, so she nodded frantically instead as she bent her knees and opened herself to his gaze.

Spike crawled up the bed, muscles flexing fluidly and a growl rumbling low in his chest as he fixed her with a leer that almost sent her over the edge for the seventh… eighth?... oh, who knows… time. He settled between her thighs and seated himself inside her with a long, agonizingly long, slow thrust. Waves of pleasure coursed through her and she moaned loudly as he filled her completely then stilled and panted, "God, Buffy. So bloody good."

She raised her legs and wrapped them around his waist then lifted her hips and thrust against him. He groaned and his demon surfaced as he fought for control. He wanted this to last, but God, he'd been hard and aching for hours. He was so close to the edge that any movement… '_Get it under control, you git, or you're gonna blow the top of her head right off.'_ She clamped her inner muscles down and his eyes squeezed shut, the muscles in his arms trembling. '_Bloody hell! Think of somethin' else… the Queen in her knickers… Man U scoooring a goal… Guh!'_ She relaxed suddenly and he gasped loudly as his eyes snapped open. He took a few deep breaths, still picturing the Queen in her knickers, and the tingling at the base of his spine started to ease.

The sight of his amber eyes peering down at her flooded with lust and want amped up her arousal a few more impossible notches. She tightened her grip on his waist and rolled her hips, grinding against him and spurring him into motion.

Control restored, Spike's hips started snapping back and forth, slamming into her with enough force that she had to plant her hands on the concrete wall between the widely spaced bars of the headboard to keep from crashing into it headfirst. There was so much pleasure zinging through her over-sensitized body that a small part of Buffy's brain – a brain that was quaking inside her skull like a glob of Jell-O on a plate – wondered vaguely if this is how Spike planned to take his third Slayer. By giving her so much pleasure that her brain would completely melt and leak out her ears. He slammed into that special spot deep inside her, sending a bolt of white hot pleasure through her that curled and churned in her belly and she cried out, thinking, '_Yeah, I'm good with that. God, what a way to go.'_

His grunts were increasing in volume and he could feel that familiar tension and tingle in his low back starting up again as his thrusts became deeper and a bit more frantic. Buffy was grunting and panting as she met him thrust for thrust, the look in her eyes driving him higher. Her gaze flicked from his demon eyes to his fangs then back and her tongue darted out to lick her lips as she turned her head and offered her neck in supplication. The overlapping scars on the otherwise smooth column of her throat called to his demon to obliterate – erase their very existence from **his** Slayer's skin and overwrite them with his demon's mark.

He stopped all movement, panting harshly, and waited until she turned back to face him, "You sure?"

She immediately nodded forcefully and the complete trust radiating from her pleasure-filled features almost sent him sailing over the edge. He lowered his head, resuming his frantic thrusts, and sank his fangs deep into her neck, slicing through the scar tissue left by the three wankers who had already had a taste of her. Her body arched into a taut bow as she screamed her release, the pulls of blood from her neck drawing out her orgasm to unimaginable lengths. Spike roared against her neck as his entire body clenched and he exploded, releasing jet after jet of cold seed deep inside her convulsing core.


	29. Chapter 29  Molasses

Coming Through

Chapter Twenty Nine – Molasses

Nathan watched Pete lead Drusilla away then stepped toward the desk and perched on the edge. "We're running a little low on minions, Sire. Between Spike dusting all the ones on Slayer watch and the ones that keep fucking up, we're gonna end up having to turn some of the food, and we're running a little low on them, too. They're not holding up very well. Too small. Like Ronnie."

The large vampire scrubbed his hands over his face. "Soon it won't matter, but I see your point, Nate. Send out a retrieval squad to find several large men to use for food for now. They should last a little longer than that busload of girls, and when they're turned, they'll make strong minions. Then we can use the girls for… other things."

"Yes, Sire. How far out should I send them?"

"No closer than seventy five miles. I don't want to raise any flags, not when we're this close to getting what we came here for."

Nathan looked at him questioningly then waved at the other vampires in the room. "Go to the bunk room. I'll be there in a minute." They all trooped obligingly out of the room and Nathan waited patiently until they were out of earshot, then leaned down and whispered, "She's back?"

Sire nodded, "She is. Go handle the minions and we'll talk when you're done."

"Yes, Sire." Nathan walked down the hall into a somewhat smaller room that had been converted into a dormitory of sorts. It was full of metal frame bunk beds, several of which contained sleeping vampires. He nodded to the vampire standing closest to him then pointed to the bunks. "Scott, get these idiots together and get going. Take four vans, three vamps per van. Pick up as many as you can manage and still have enough time to get back here by sunset, but make sure most of them are large. And I don't mean lard asses, either. Shoot for guys built like Sire."

Scott blinked at him in astonishment. "You want us to go now? It's daylight!"

Nathan rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth. "Didn't you hear Sire? He didn't say send a squad out later, after a nice nap and a meal. He said now. He's got big plans for tonight and he's going to need all the minions we have to carry them out." He patted Scott condescendingly on the head. "You'll be fine, Scottie-poo. That's why I'm sending you in the vans. The glass is vamp-safe, so you won't get all ouchy burney on your way."

Scott glared at the other vampires as they chuckled and Nathan smirked as he looked around the room. "You've all been dosing, right? On the schedule Sire set?"

The vampires that were awake all nodded and Nathan smiled. "Good. Here's the plan. You'll have one vamp to drive, one to snatch, and one to secure. More food will be walking around this time of day so it'll be a better selection, and they won't be overly careful because it's still daylight. All you have to do is find one walking alone and pull up alongside then open the door and pull them into the van and drive the hell away. If you're quick enough about jerking them inside, the juice will keep you from getting burned. Much. See, it's simple. Even **you** should be able to handle it, Scottie."

Scott bared his fangs at Nathan and growled, "And why don't you have to go? Why are we the ones doing all the work and taking the chance of getting dusted while you just sit around on your ass, shooting the shit with Sire all day?"

Nathan chuckled coldly and looked up at the ceiling as he thought, '_Looks like we're about to be short another dumbass.'_ All the vampires were awake and watching the exchange warily. One in the back shook his head and lay back down on his bunk, fairly certain of what was going to happen next.

Nathan turned to Scott with a cold glare, the light from the fluorescent bulbs glinting off his fangs. "I thought you knew the score, buddy. No? Well hell, would ya look at that? Here's me educating you." He looked around the room again, catching the eyes of everyone present except the vampire on the bunk in the back who was currently lying on his back with his arm over his eyes. "Here's me educating all of you. Well, except Bobby back there. He already knows."

Bobby lifted a hand and waved at the group then rolled over on his side, propping his head on his hand. Nathan pointed to himself. "I'm a Childe." He tapped Scott sharply in the center of his forehead with a knuckle. "You're a minion." He pointed back to himself. "I'm stronger and I'm bonded to Sire and Mistress Drusilla. I'm family." He planted his hand in the middle of Scott's chest and shoved him violently backwards. "You're not family, you dumbass. You're the fucking help. You do what you're told, when you're told, and how you're told. You do not argue or bitch and you definitely do not say anything against Sire, 'cause if he doesn't dust you for it, I will."

Scott opened his mouth to protest and his gaze suddenly jerked down to the stake protruding from his chest. He was wearing an expression of complete surprise as he exploded into dust. Nathan waved the dust away from his face as he tucked the stake back into his pocket and looked around the room. "Any questions about our lesson for the day?"

He got a roomful of head shaking and forcefully spoken no's. "Good. Oh, and FYI… the juice makes you stronger, but it doesn't make you stake-proof. You should remember that. Get it good and set in your dead little brains, so that when you open your mouths, nothing but respectful obedience comes out. Ok? Clear enough for you?" Now he got a roomful of forceful nodding. "You've all got it pretty good here, and it's about to get even better. After tonight we'll rule this town, and you guys will be at the top of the heap, so start fucking acting like it." He pointed to Bobby. "Congratulations, you've been promoted. Now get this riff raff moving, you're burning daylight, and don't forget to grab Pete from Mistress Drusilla's room."

Nathan spun and headed out of the room to the sound of Bobby jumping off his bunk and shouting orders. When he entered the main room, Sire was bent over the desk poring over a map and marking certain places. Nathan walked up and perched on the desk again, brushing a bit of Scott off the knee of his jeans. Sire didn't look up as he chuckled, "Which one?"

"Scott. He was bitching about me staying here while the minions go out to pick up dinner."

Sire looked up with a grin, "I seem to remember someone, not too long ago actually, pitching a bitch at me about being short on minions."

Nathan shrugged, "Had to prove a point, Sire. Keep them in line, like you taught me." He nodded toward the hallway. "I sent everybody, so we should have more than enough food to last for a while."

Sire clapped his hands together and leaned back in his chair. "Good. Once they get back, the minions we have should be enough to carry out tonight's capture. Once we have him here and locked up with my crazy Sire, we can go out and turn as many minions as we want." His demon slid forward and he grinned around his fangs. "After tonight, things are gonna change. It's gonna be a whole new Sunnydale when I'm Master."

XX

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XX

Buffy's consciousness floated lazily to the surface like an air bubble ascending through a pool of warm molasses. The first thing she noticed was the weight pinning her to the mattress. She cracked an eye and peeked at the dead man sprawled over her like an alabaster blanket. She shifted just a tiny bit, enjoying the comfortable weight of her unconscious vampire. '_I could stay right here for the rest of my life.'_ She smiled to herself as she thought, '_God, Angel or Riley would have suffocated me by now, but Spike's just right. He's perfect.'_

She lifted her weak and shaky arms to wrap them around her vampire and uttered a tiny 'oh' of surprise when she spied her shiny new bracelets. She canted her head upwards and winced slightly when she saw the matching set attached to a severely bent and twisted headboard. '_Wow. I don't remember that happening. Guess the handcuffs weren't Slayer-proof. Or at least they weren't - Slayer having the best, most intense orgasm of her life - proof.'_

Her blanket grunted softly and shifted, his lips brushing lightly against a sore, tingly spot on her neck. '_Spike bit me. I definitely remember that. It was… wow… like… really wow. None of the bites I've had before felt like that. All of them hurt… a lot… even Dracula's, and he had me in thrall. Spike's bite felt… amazing.'_ She lifted her hand and slid her fingers between the vampire's mouth and her neck, brushing them across the bite mark. A bolt of pleasure shot through her and she gasped, pulling her hand away. '_Whoa. What the heck was that? That's definitely new._'

Spike's tongue meandered out and started laving the mark, circling and sliding over the punctures. Buffy's still raised hand fell to the back of his neck, pulling him closer as waves of pleasure rocketed through her. '_Oh. My. God. Spike bites are definitely of the good. Way good.'_ Her hips started moving, almost of their own volition, and she felt Spike harden inside her as he started thrusting slowly.

He lifted his head, his blue eyes shining as he captured her lips in a molten kiss that left her gasping. He nipped at her neck then lifted his torso off her and started thrusting in earnest. Buffy's hand pushing on his chest stilled him and he tilted his head at her, his eyebrow quirked. She whispered, "On your knees."

He shivered at the commanding tone, even though the words were whispered, and smirked, "Bossy chit," as he immediately rushed to comply. When he was kneeling between her legs, his arms dangling loosely at his sides, she sat up and placed her hand in the middle of his chest, pushing him back to sit between his feet. She got to her knees; reaching back to push the shoes off her feet and then stood and stepped close, placing one foot on either side of his legs. She braced her hands on his shoulders and he took himself in hand, guiding his length into her as she sank down.

He slid his hands up her back, pulling her close and attacking his mark with lips and teeth as she rocked her hips, finding a rhythm that would bring them both over the edge quickly. Buffy arched back and Spike's mouth trailed down her chest and latched onto her breast, sucking hard. Her fingers were digging into his shoulders as she rocked against him, her nails piercing the skin as she tensed and cried out her release. He followed seconds later, throwing his head back and shouting at the ceiling.

He pulled her close and buried his face in her neck, panting hard as he lapped at his mark, "Could stand to wake up like that all the time, pet."


	30. Chapter 30  Every Time

Several people guessed… correctly… that Riley was the bad guy. I'd give you a prize, but I don't have any, so you'll just have to make do with the warm fuzzy feeling you get from being right.

I always thought that there was quite a bit of darkness in Riley, hidden under that aw shucks Iowa farm boy exterior. This next bit lets you know just how evil I think Riley would've been had he been made into a vampire. It's not sweet. It's not pleasant. It's not overly graphic, but if you have a good imagination… well… I'll let you decide if you want to read it. Basically, Riley's an evil bastard who has no problem hurting people and he has some 'plans' for Buffy and Spike... that don't include hugs or puppies.

There is a bit of Spuffyness at the end.

XXXX

XXXX

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty – Every Time

"Tell me again why we aren't dusting him?"

Riley shrugged, "He'll keep Drusilla occupied and out of my way. He's already spent a century with the crazy bitch, so he can figure out what the hell she's babbling about all the time. That might come in handy in the future." A dark look crossed his face as he clenched his hands into fists. "Besides, he'll provide some interesting entertainment once we've dosed him enough and the drug fully takes hold. I'll be able to beat on him for days and he'll be aware of every second. Every fucking second."

Nathan chuckled, "Sounds like a good time, Sire. Won't mind watching that. At all. I'll make popcorn."

Riley chuckled, "I staked him once, right before I left Sunnydale. Might have to do that again. He sounds pretty good when he's screaming in pain. And the look of terror in his eyes was… well… pretty delicious."

Nathan looked confused. "If you staked him…"

"Plastic stake, Nate. I hadn't realized my… full potential… back then, or it would've been a real one. But, then again, if it had been, I might not have left and I never would've met Drusilla. Guess some things happen for a reason."

A low wail drifting in from the hallway caught Nathan's attention and he looked thoughtfully around the room then back at Riley. "Speaking of which, have you seen Thomas? Mistress Drusilla's been crying and carrying on about him and I couldn't find him earlier."

Riley grinned evilly, "I sent him out on Slayer watch."

"Alone?"

"Yeah."

"He's the one that found her?"

"Yeah. He called last night. Spotted her coming out of a graveyard and followed her home. She's back at her house all safe and sound, or so she thinks."

Nathan grinned, "So that's why we're going after Spike tonight. I wondered why you decided to move ahead with the plan when the Slayer was still gone."

Riley shrugged, "I'm tired of waiting, Nate, tired of being holed up down here when I could be hunting. I decided yesterday to go ahead with bagging him and worry about Buffy whenever she finally turned up, but I guess I'm just lucky."

"So if Thomas spotted her last night, he should've made it back here before sunup. You don't think Spike found him, do you?"

Riley shrugged, "It's possible."

"And you're not worried? Spike's dusted every other minion we've sent, and Thomas is Mistress Drusilla's favorite. She'll be upset."

Riley snorted, "I don't give a shit if she's upset, as long as she's quiet. Besides, we'll have her precious William here soon and she'll forget all about Thomas. And if Thomas is dust… well… oops? He's the last of hers, that's one of the reasons I sent him. From now on, it'll be only the two of us making minions."

"What if Spike captured him instead of dusting him? He could give up all kinds of interesting information. He's been with us a long time."

Riley bellowed laughter, "He's dust, Nate, and good riddance. Every other minion I've sent has been dusted, so there's no reason to believe that Thomas hasn't been. Besides, even if he was captured, he'd never talk. He's too well trained."

"So why do you want to be rid of him? You spent a lot of time on him, with training and tweaking the juice doses… why do you want him dust?"

Riley growled, "He annoys me. Always bitching at me about Drusilla's _accommodations_ and how they're not up to the standards of a _vampire of her station_. It really chaps his backside that he's just a minion and I'm her Childe, too. Got pretty tired of hearing about that. Basically, he doesn't like the way I treat her, so… he's gone."

Nathan nodded, "All right. So when are we going after the Slayer?"

"Tonight after we bag _'Master Spike',_" he snorted derisively. '_The Master'_ is holding Court at the mansion, so we'll get him after, bring him here and then go after her. She'll be all alone in the house so it'll be a piece of cake. We won't even need an invitation because the house is in his name, not hers. We can just walk right in."

"Do we have blueprints of the house? Won't she pick up on us as soon as we get close?"

Riley shrugged, "She might, but we'll be moving fast, so she won't have much time to react, and we don't need blueprints. I already know the layout of the house and where she'll be. I'll take point with you to get Buffy, and the others can cover the perimeter."

"What if she goes to Court with him? Can we take them both at once?"

Riley burst out laughing again, "There's no way in hell she would ever do that. She hates him almost as much as I do. If he brought her into his Court she'd have to submit to him, and there's no way Buffy would ever willingly submit to a vampire, especially that one. No way."

Nathan smirked, "What about unwillingly?"

The evil grin was back on Riley's face as he snarled, "That's what I'm gonna find out once I have her. Little Miss High and Mighty… looking down on me because of a few vamp bites. Like she's never been bitten! She was **dating** a fucking vampire for Christ's sake!" He slammed his fists down on the top of the desk, denting the metal. "I'm gonna bring her down a few notches and take my sweet time doing it. I have lots of interesting tools at my disposal, so it should be fun. Wonder how long it'll take to completely break her?"

Nathan chuckled, "Well, from everything you've told me about her, I'd say a long, long time, unless…"

Riley looked at him questioningly, "Unless what?"

"What if we had someone she cares about? Like maybe her sister? I wouldn't mind a toy of my own, Sire, with your permission, of course."

Riley looked thoughtful for a moment then broke into a wide grin, "That's an excellent idea and you deserve it. As soon as Dawn turns up, we'll take her. I think you'll have a lot of fun with her, Nate, she's a lot like Buffy. And she used to have one hell of a mouth on her… I'm sure it hasn't gotten better with age. You'll get to spend hours correcting her manners."

Nathan bowed his head respectfully, "Thank you, Sire." He turned toward the hall as he heard the minions heading for the garage. "Well, the children just left, so we've got the house to ourselves and nothing much to do for the rest of the day…"

Riley smirked, "You're thinking maybe a meal and some entertainment? Not necessarily in that order?"

Nathan got up with a grin and walked toward the far side of the room. "Which one, Sire? Or two?"

The trembling on the row of naked teenage girls chained to the wall got even more pronounced as Nathan stalked in front of them, snarling quietly. He reached down to stroke a face here or pinch a nipple there as Riley stood up from the desk, looking over the group. "That one. The blonde."

The girl in question started shrieking as Nathan unchained her and dragged her across the room. He pushed her to her knees in front of Riley then shackled her hands behind her back and roughly kicked her legs apart. "Kneel properly, bitch."

The girl was blubbering as Riley grabbed hold of her hair and wrenched her head back. He spoke quietly as he worked open the fastenings of his pants and pulled himself out. "Let's see if you do a better job than your little friend did yesterday." He viciously twisted her head around so that her eyes fell on the bloody and broken body of a young girl crumpled in the corner. "Make it good and that won't be you."

He jerked her head back around and shoved himself into her mouth, groaning as he slammed into the back of her throat. He fisted his other hand in her hair and slammed into her mouth over and over while she struggled against him, gagging and fighting for breath.

Nathan was rubbing his hand slowly over the bulge in his pants as he watched. Riley's nose twitched and he growled, "Get over here, Nate. There's more than one hole in this bitch."

Nathan leered and stepped up behind the girl as he lowered his pants. He grasped her around the waist and jerked her to her feet, Riley's hands holding her head steady as Nathan forcefully plowed into her. The girl screamed around Riley as he started thrusting again in time with Nathan's harsh movements. Both vampires roared their release within a few seconds of each other then backed away from the unconscious girl, dropping her bloodied body to the floor. Riley dropped down into his chair with a sated grin. "Yeah. Put that one in a cell. She's a keeper. I'll turn her later."

Nathan pulled his jeans up, walking back over to the line of girls as he tucked himself in and zipped up, "Now that we've had entertainment, how about a snack?"

Riley nodded and Nathan unchained one of the girls and dragged her over, pushing her into Riley's lap. "Here you go, Sire." He started toward the unconscious girl then stopped and turned around. "Sire?"

Riley looked up from the terrified girl trembling in his lap. "Yes?"

"Which cell do you want me to put her in?"

The girl in his lap started sobbing uncontrollably at the look on the vampire's face. "The one across from Buffy's. It'll be fun to make her watch while we use the girl. Give her an idea of what's gonna happen to her."

Nathan's eyes got huge and his mouth dropped open. "You're gonna let me… with the Slayer?"

Riley grinned, "Yeah. She'll hate it. As much as she hates us. One vampire raping her would be bad enough, but two? It'll crush her. I might even pass her around to the minions; let them have a little fun with her for a while." Riley looked down at the girl in his lap with a leer. "Suddenly I'm not very hungry anymore. Let's see what else you're good for."

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Spike's head was lying on her stomach as she carded her fingers gently through his hair, the 'bracelet' on her wrist reflecting the light from the candles on the dresser. "Are you mad?"

He trailed his fingers lightly across her breast, circling the nipple with his thumb. "Now what would I have to be angry about, kitten?"

She nodded toward the tray still balanced precariously on a stack of books. "You spent all that time making me food and then I didn't even eat it."

A low, rumbling chuckle rolled through him, vibrating her stomach. "Small price to pay, luv, considerin' what I received in return. I'd gladly pay it again."

"Do you think it was good?"

He lifted his head then propped himself up on an elbow and smirked at her, "It was bloody brilliant, kitten." At the amused look on her face he laughed, "Oh, you meant the food."

She laughed and sat up; wincing slightly as her deliciously achy body reacted to the sudden movement. "Yeah, but… you know… thanks. That was the best time I've had in… ever." She leaned down and gently kissed him then whispered against his lips, "I don't think I'll be able to walk for a while, Mr. Big Bad Sex God. I think you broke me."

She leaned back with a smile and he reached over and hooked a silky scrap of fabric off the bed then lifted it to his face and inhaled deeply. "Your fault, kitten. What'd you expect, cuffin' yourself to my bed wearin' this? Where'd you get it, anyway? I wasn't upstairs long enough for you to go shoppin'."

Buffy looked toward the dresser, trying to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Um… you remember when you asked me to marry you and Giles was all blind and I went to the magic shop to get stuff for the reversal spell?"

He tilted his head, twining the fabric between his fingers. "Yeah."

"Well, I… uh… found a little shop before I got to the Magic Box that… um… had that."

His eyes widened as he looked at the garment in his hand and then glanced at the shoes and other bits of silk and lace scattered over the surface of the bed. "You've had this since then?"

She blushed even deeper and stammered, "Yes… I… um… hid it in the training room. I was going to wear it on our… um… wedding night."

He sat up then scooted close to her and pulled her against his chest. "And you kept it? Even after the spell was reversed?"

She nodded against his chest. "Actually, I forgot about it until I was moving some stuff around the training room and found it."

"When was that, pet?"

"Not too long ago… for me, anyway. It was right after Giles left, after the whole Randy and Joan thing. And just for the record, that suit you wore was completely fugly. Brown is just not your color, Spike. Please don't ever wear anything like that again."

He chuckled, "No plans to, kitten. Just 'cause I'm English doesn't mean I fancy tweed." He slid his hand gently up her arm and cupped her cheek, "So, why didn't you toss the frilly into the rubbish bin when you found it? You weren't exactly my biggest fan back then, pet. Seem to recall a lot of little Slayer fists makin' painful contact with my nose."

She shrugged and tucked her head under his chin, "It reminded me of a time when I was happy, even if it **was** just a spell. When I was getting married to a man I loved, instead of dragging through life being miserable and empty."

He nodded, bumping his chin lightly on her head. "I get that, luv. Those memories got me through a lot of lonely times while you were gone." He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tight. "So where's the frilly been hidin' all these years? I think I'd have noticed somethin' like that lyin' about."

She nodded toward the stairs. "I hid it in my box of skating stuff. I figured nobody but me would ever want to look in there and it looks like I was right. And since this was our… um… real first time… you know… in your bed… with the love and everything… I wanted to make it special."

He nuzzled against the top of her head, placing gentle kisses as he whispered, "Every time with you is special, Buffy. Every time."


	31. Chapter 31  Mr Cooking Guy

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty One – Mr. Cooking Guy

Tara stepped through the basement door, pushing her hair back from her face. She could hear the low murmur of voices coming from the living room and headed in that direction. She noticed Willow's closed laptop sitting on the dining room table as she passed through and frowned slightly. "Why isn't she researching?"

Willow jumped up from the couch and rushed over, enveloping Tara in a bone-crushing hug before she was even fully in the room. "Goddess, baby! I'm so sorry!" She slid her hands up to the sides of Tara's head and peppered her face with kisses. "I've been a completely selfish idiot brat-child for such a long time and I have no idea how you've put up with me!"

Tara clasped Willow's hands, lifting them away from her head, and backed up a step. "Willow? Are you all right?" She glanced at Clem who was sitting on the other end of the couch clutching a can of soda in his large hand. "What's going on in here?"

Willow walked over to the couch and dropped down, pulling Tara down beside her. "Clem's been telling me about all the stuff you do. Goddess, you're amazing! Have I ever told you that you're amazing? Well, I'm telling you now. You're amazing."

Tara leaned over and picked up the empty can of soda sitting on the coffee table in front of Willow. She held it up to her nose and sniffed tentatively. "Clem, did you put something in this?"

He shook his head with a smile and Willow reached over and plucked the can out of Tara's hand. "I'm not all drugged or magicked or anything, Tara. I'm sorry I've been so blind to everything. I know you tried to tell me and I know I didn't listen, but I know now and I want to help."

Tara glanced at Clem again, wondering why he hadn't said anything yet. She turned back to Willow with a look of confusion. "Help with what?"

"Spike… the Court… all the demons… the wards. I'll even help take care of that vampire in the basement… whatever you need, I'll help with. And I want to know everything. Clem's told me about some of the spells you use and… wow… I wish I was powerful enough to do them. Have I said how amazing you are yet?"

Tara laughed, "Yes, you mentioned it. Um… I'll teach you the spells… you're more than powerful enough, baby, but I don't know about Court… um… Spike…"

Willow's face – that up until now had been almost split in two by the size of her smile – crumpled slightly. "Spike won't want me, will he? I mess up too much."

Tara shook her head, "No, that's not it at all, baby. It's just… there are rules for Court… and… um… things you'd have to do… and have done…"

"Like what things?"

Tara looked over at Clem then slowly unwound the sparkly scarf around her neck. She tilted her head and pushed her hair back over her shoulder so that the light from the lamp on the end table fell across the bite mark on her neck. "Spike has to bite you."

Willow's eyes went wide. "Spike bit you? I thought you got bit that time those vampires broke into the Magic Box."

Tara smiled and ran her fingers lightly over the mark. "I did, but Spike pulled him off me, and when he bit me, he covered the other vampire's mark with his own."

"Why did Spike bite you?"

Tara wrapped the scarf around her neck then got to her feet. "I'm going to get something to eat then I'll tell you all about it. Ok?"

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"Mmmm, this is awesome, Spike. Even as nuked leftovers, this is the best spaghetti I've ever had. This settles it. You're Mr. Cooking Guy from now on."

He reached over and stabbed a meatball off their shared plate, popping it into his mouth with a grin. "Ta, luv. But we might need to discuss my fees. I'm not cheap."

Buffy giggled, "Well, you pretty much shredded my last form of 'payment,' so I guess I'll just have to owe you. Can I run a tab?"

He looked her over with a leer, "Could probably come up with some interestin' ways for you to **work** off your debt."

She smirked over at him and nudged him with her elbow, "Yeah… I just bet you could… pig."

"Oink, oink, baby." He got up and dropped his fork into the sink then drained his mug of blood and dropped the cup next to the fork. He glanced at the clock on the microwave as he turned back toward the counter and shouted. "Bugger! Is that the time? Bloody hell, I'm gonna be late. Guess I played with my pressie a little longer than I'd planned."

Buffy smirked and mumbled around a mouthful of saucy noodles as he walked around the counter, "Late for what?"

"Court. I've gotta be there in just over an hour and I still need a wash up." He grinned as he planted a quick kiss to the top of her head. "I smell like I've been shaggin' all afternoon."

She turned and pulled him into a hug before he could step away. "How are you going to shower with your bandages?"

He backed up a bit then looked down at himself and smirked, "Actually forgot about 'em, pet. I'll just take 'em off. Didn't really need 'em to start with, but Glinda insisted, and arguin' with her is an exercise in futility."

Buffy chuckled as she reached up and started picking at the tape on the bandage in the center of his chest. "Yeah, she's not nearly as shy as she used to be. I can remember when she'd hardly say anything… to anybody… and when she did, she'd stutter. Some of the things we talked about last night… I never thought I'd hear her say things like that. And I don't think I've ever seen Xander blush so much."

Spike smiled warmly, "Yeah, Glinda's really come into her own. She's embraced her own power and managed to keep Red's in check at the same time. I honestly don't know what I'd do without her."

The bandage Buffy was picking at came off fairly easily, only causing Spike to wince a few times. She balled it up and dropped it on the counter then ran her fingers over the smooth skin. "I thought you were burned really bad. There's nothing here, Spike. Your skin is perfect."

Spike peeked at his chest and his eyes widened. He made short work of tearing the other bandages off his torso then unwound the ones on his arms. Every inch of his skin was whole and smooth and there was no sign at all that he'd ever been burned. "What the hell?"

Buffy trailed her hands lightly down his arms. "Do you always heal this fast?"

He shook his head, still looking at his arms. "No. I should still be burned. I'd be partially healed by now, but not this much." He looked up at her, his eyes widening again as they skated over his mark on her neck. "I drank from you, Buffy. That's what did it. Your blood."

She lifted her hand and brushed her fingers over the mark. "Oh. Well… that's good… you know… with the healing and everything."

He covered her hand with his and lifted her chin with the other. "Are you ok with me bitin' you, luv? I know you asked me to, but maybe you weren't really sure... we were a little preoccupied at the time. Maybe it was just the heat of the moment and all. I don't want you to be angry with me… and if you don't want me bitin' you anymore, just say the word."

She smiled and lifted her hand to the back of his neck then pulled his head down and pressed her forehead to his. "I wanted it, so I'm ok with it, Spike. And it was… wow. I never knew it could feel like that… it didn't hurt at all. You're so very good at that… just like you're so very good at everything else." She pressed her lips to his and slid her fingers into his hair. "You can bite me anytime you want."

He preened just a bit as her words of praise bolstered his ego – not that it needed it, mind you. "Might have to take you up on that, pet… I haven't felt this good in a long time." He winked as he tilted his head. "'Course, it's not all 'cause of your blood. I feel like a man that's been shagged good and proper." He backed up and turned toward the door. "Sorry to cut this short, kitten, but I need to get movin'." He turned and left the room in a hurry. Buffy turned and stuffed another forkful into her mouth then scrambled off her stool and followed him.

She caught up to him at the bottom of the stairs and snagged his arm. "Hey, can I go with you? I want to see you in all your Big Badness, you know, being all Mastery and stuff."

He smiled, "Not much excitement, pet. Court's usually pretty dull."

She smiled back, "That's ok. I can deal with dull. I've endured hours and hours of really boring research, not to mention lots of boring classes and endless hours of studying when I was in school. I'm good with dull." She started up the stairs then stopped and turned around when Spike's arm slipped out of her hand because he hadn't moved. "What's wrong, Spike? Don't you want me to come with you?"

He looked over her shoulder, fixing his gaze on the top of the stairs as he mumbled, "It's not that I don't want you with me… it's just…" He trailed off, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Just what?"

His gaze moved over to focus on her eyes, "What do you know about Vampire Courts?"


	32. Chapter 32  I Trust You

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Two – I Trust You

His gaze moved over to focus on her eyes, "What do you know about Vampire Courts?"

She shook her head. "Not a thing. Giles never told me about them because they're not something I've ever had to deal with."

He lifted his hands and scrubbed them roughly across his face. "Bollocks." He dropped his hands and took a step toward the stairs, "I need to get cleaned up."

She put her hand in the middle of his chest. "What's the problem?"

He looked down at her hand then backed up into the living room, dropping into his chair with a sigh. "Buffy, I'd love for you to come to Court, but I hadn't planned on bringin' you to this one. Was gonna try to explain things and get you ready for the next one, 'cause there's some things you need to know and most importantly… agree to."

She walked into the living room and crawled into the chair with him, straddling his lap. "What things?"

He lifted a hand to the back of his neck and squeezed slightly as he took a deep breath. "Um… well… do you know anythin' about the types of humans allowed entrance into Vampire Courts?"

She shook her head with a slight grin, "No. I just told you I don't know anything about Vampire Courts. And what do you mean… **types** of humans? I thought vampires only had one type… Happy Meals."

He took another deep breath and dropped his hand to the arm of the chair. "Um… Ok. Uh… some of what I'm 'bout to tell you is probably gonna brass you off, but hear me out 'fore you break my nose, yeah?"

She rested her forearms on his shoulders and twined her fingers together on the back of his neck. "I'm not going to hit you, Spike. I'm done with that. No matter how mad I get, I'm not going to beat up on you anymore. I promise. You can tell me anything."

He looked relieved as he pulled her into a quick hug then let her go. "All right then. Crash course on Vampire Courts. Uh… there's only three types of humans allowed inside a Vampire Court. Food, slaves, and… uh… pets."

Buffy's eyebrows rose until they couldn't be seen under the hair falling over her forehead. "So… if I want to go with you… I have to be one of those types?"

He nodded, "Yeah. And there's rules you have to follow. If you break any, I'd have to… uh… punish you… in front of any demon who witnessed the infraction or I'd lose face."

"Punish me… uh-huh. So which type am I going to be?"

His eyebrow went up in surprise. "You still want to go?"

She nodded, "Yes. So which type and what are the rules?"

He just looked at her for a few seconds then stammered, "Uh… food and slaves go starkers, but pets are allowed clothing if their Master wishes… so… pet?"

She nodded, "Ok. Now… rules?"

His head tilted. "You're serious. You're really going to do this?"

She nodded again. "Rules. Spill."

"Uh… first you'd have to be marked as mine." He reached up and brushed his fingers lightly over the bite on her neck, making her shiver. "That's done. Um… you're to speak only when spoken to and you have to call me… uh… Master." He stopped and searched her face for any sign that she was horrified or starting to get angry.

She smiled and leaned forward, planting a quick kiss on his lips. "Keep going."

He sniffed deeply; checking her scent for any sign that she'd been possessed or had completely lost her mind. All he smelled was Buffy. Healthy, beautiful, stubborn Buffy. He smiled and wrapped his arms loosely around her waist. "Ok, when we're walkin', you have to stay a step behind me, and if I stop, you have to kneel beside me until I start walkin' again. You have to keep your eyes down and don't look directly at me or anyone else unless I command it. In the Court chamber, you'll kneel next to the right side of my chair 'cause Glinda's chair is on my left…"

Buffy gasped, "Tara is your pet? You've bitten her?"

He stammered, "Uh… no… I mean… yeah, I've bitten her, but she's not my pet. Um… the rules are different for witches, actually they're mostly exempt. I had to bite her to show possession, but that's it. She does call me Master, but she's not required to kneel or keep her eyes down or any of that. She's… well… the closest thing I can think of is… executive assistant."

"But Tara's human… mostly, just like me. Why do I have to do the pet stuff and she doesn't?"

Spike sighed, "Luv, oh balls… uh… yeah, Glinda's human… mostly… but she's a witch, so she stands apart from your run of the mill human. You're human… again mostly… but you're also the Slayer. It's your callin' to kill demons, kitten, and if I brought an uncontrolled Slayer into my Court it would cause mass panic, not to mention I'd basically be abdicating my position as Master of the Hellmouth, leavin' Sunnydale open to any demons that think they're big and bad enough to take over. If they managed to get past you, of course, but… this town hasn't seen a Slayer since Cowgirl. I've been their protector and guardian and they trust me."

She could see in his eyes and the set of his shoulders that he was afraid. Afraid that she would usurp his place and take away the respect he'd earned, relegating him to the position of Slayer's sidekick. Again. She reached up and lightly brushed her fingers through his hair. '_And I'm so not gonna do that to him. He's earned his place, through blood and pain, and I'm going to do whatever I have to do to help him keep it.'_ "So… I have to play pet so you can keep being in charge? Because if I don't, then I'd have to take over running Sunnydale?" '_And as much fun as being the leader is… really not… I think I'd like to be the backup for a change. Let Spike be in control and just help out when he needs me. Kind of the Slayer Semi-Retirement Program.'_

He nodded slowly… warily. "Yeah… that's about the size of it. You don't have to 'play pet' forever, though, luv. Just long enough to let everyone know that you… uh… belong to me… and I've got… uh… control of you… and you aren't gonna go 'round slaying every demon you come across. But you do have to follow any command I give you immediately, without hesitation, or they'll know it's just an act. That's why I wanted to wait for the next Court… uh… get some practice in."

Buffy looked at Spike thoughtfully, the barest structure of a plan forming in her mind. "Control of me. Uh-huh."

Spike frowned slightly, watching her face as she thought over what he'd said. '_She'll never go for it. Not my Slayer. Strong-willed doesn't even begin to describe my girl. Cuffin' herself to my bed is one thing… that's in the privacy of the bedroom… but… submittin' to me in front of others… demons especially… not gonna happen.'_

She lifted her hand and skated her fingers over her mark, her eyes drifting shut as a shiver of pleasure wound through her. "So this mark means that I belong to you? Does Tara belong to you, too? When you bit her, was it like when you bit me? Does she feel… um… what I feel?"

Spike chuckled, "Lot of questions there, pet. Ok… Yes, by vampire law. Also yes, but not quite in the same way. No, hers is just a mark of possession… yours is more of a… Claiming mark. And no, you feel things Glinda doesn't."

"Claiming? What's that? And why is it different?"

Spike tensed slightly, not sure how she was going to take this next bit. "Uh… Claiming is part of the…uh… mating ritual. It's like… uh… marriage… for vampires. I bit you while we were shaggin' and I bit Glinda while we were havin' tea, so she doesn't… uh… feel anythin'… when she touches her mark. It just lets other demons know that she belongs to me and uh… serves me."

Buffy smiled widely and wrapped her arms around his neck. "So we're married? Like for real?"

He shook his head, "Not quite. There's a bit more to a mating ritual… incantations and whatnot. Certain things have to be said at certain times to cement the bond. What we did was closer to… an engagement… I guess. Your mark lets other demons know that you're special to me and that I'll kill anyone who touches you, but we're not formally mated. That's part of the reason we have to do the 'pet' bit. If we were mated, you'd enter Court as my equal… even though you're human." His brow furrowed in frustration. "The rules are very complex, Buffy. I don't even really understand most of 'em, and I've studied up on a lot of it since I became Master. Vamps are a wordy bunch when they get bored and start makin' shite up."

Buffy's eyes lit up, "Let's do it."

_'She wants to study vampire rules?'_ He sniffed again, just to be sure, but there was nothing off in her scent, so he tilted his head, "Do what?"

Her smile widened, "The mating thing… ritual… whatever. What do we have to do?"

Her face fell just a bit when Spike shook his head then reached up and gently cupped her cheek. "Mating is a big deal, luv. It's forever. You'd be tied to me until one of us dies… again. I'd do it in a second, 'cause I don't ever want to lose you, but I want you to be absolutely sure before we do somethin' like that." She opened her mouth to speak and he covered her lips with his finger, shushing her. "We have time, kitten. You don't have to make a decision right now. I'll wait, as long as I have to, for you to find out all you can about what it means to be mated to a vampire. When you're sure… that being with me for the rest of your life is what you want… we'll do it. But not until you're sure."

She opened her mouth behind his finger and whispered, "I'm sure now, but I'll find out more, if you want. Giles probably has some books or something on it, so I'll be all researchy Buffy and then we're doing it. Period."

He smiled and slid his fingers around to cup her jaw, drawing her close for a kiss as he whispered against her lips. "Bossy bint."

She smiled and climbed off his lap then took his arm and pulled him out of the chair. "We need to get cleaned up, so let's go."

He stood firm in front of the chair wearing look of confusion on his face. "You still want to go? Even after all I've told you? You understand what you'll have to do?"

She nodded, "Yes, Spike. I want to go, and I understand."

He looked her over quickly then his eyes locked on hers. "You're handlin' all this rather well, pet."

"Handling what well?"

He closed his eyes with a pained expression, "Everything. Me being Master… runnin' Sunnydale… you actually listened when I told you to back off that demon in the cemetery… you've never done anythin' I told you to, luv. You didn't threaten to stake me over my drinkin' human blood or bitin' Glinda… and now you're gonna kneel at my feet? Let me control you? That goes against everythin' you are, pet."

She slid her hand down his arm and twined her fingers with his. "Spike, look at me." He opened his eyes and she smiled. "It goes against everything I **was,** but I'm different now. I had to be large and in charge because there wasn't anyone else who could handle the job, at least I didn't think there was. I'm the Chosen One… the one girl in all the world... yada, yada, yada. You don't know how many times I wished I could just hand the reins over to someone else… not have to make life or death decisions… not have the responsibility for the lives of everyone I care about perched on my shoulders." She stepped close and took his other hand, squeezing his fingers as she looked up at him. "You're strong enough, Spike. You've been doing my job for a long time and from everything I've seen and been told, you're doing it well. Yes, I'm bossy. Yes, I'm stubborn. Yes, I'm used to being king shit of turd mountain, but I'm also smart enough to realize when I've been replaced."

Spike's face twisted into a shocked expression. "Replaced? You've not been replaced! Least of all by me. I could never…"

She leaned up and planted a gentle kiss on his lips, "Yes, you could. You have. And I'm not upset about it, really, I'm not. You have no idea how freeing it is to not be the one in charge, and I know I'm out of practice, but I **can** take orders… I know Giles would disagree with that statement and before you say anything – I see those wheels turning, mister – I'm sure I can, especially from you. I trust you, Spike, with my life… and… I've got your back. And if having your back means kneeling at your feet… then that's what I'll do."

His head tilted as his face melted into a grin. "Will you ever stop surprising me, kitten?"

She scrunched up her face, pretending to think it over, then smirked, "No, probably not, but you love that about me and we both know it."


	33. Chapter 33  Something Comfortable

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Three – Something Comfortable

She started up the stairs, pulling him along behind her. "So, quick check… I just have to follow behind you, kneel if you stop, and not speak unless I'm spoken to."

He nodded as they made their way down the hall to the bathroom. "Yes. Also, make sure to keep your eyes down. Some demons see it as a mark of disrespect to have a pet make eye contact."

"Ok." She pulled him into the bathroom then stopped and turned around. "Following, kneeling, not looking or speaking. That's it?" She tugged the t-shirt over her head and dropped it in the hamper then stood quietly, waiting for him to respond.

His mouth went dry at the sight of her standing naked before him and he shook his head, forcing himself to focus. "Uh… Master. You have to call me Master when we're in the Court chamber."

She nodded and stepped close then popped the buttons of his jeans and slid them over his hips as she dropped to her knees. She tugged them down until they pooled around his ankles then said quietly, "Step out of these so I can get you cleaned up… Master."

He shivered and groaned loudly as he reached out to clutch her shoulders. "Oh, bloody hell, luv. Are you tryin' to dust me? Do you have any idea what it does to me when you call me that?"

She kept her gaze on her knees as a small smirk played at the edges of her lips, "No, Master. What does it do?"

He reached over and lifted her chin, "Think you can see for yourself."

Her eyes widened and she gasped, "Oh." She dropped her gaze again as a surge of womanly power rocketed through her. She smiled to herself and whispered, "What would you like me to do… Master?"

Spike clenched his hands into fists, trying to control the lust raging through him. '_Bloody hell, if she calls me Master one more time… I'm gonna take her right there on the floor, Court be damned.' _ He took several deep breaths and let them out slowly until he had himself under control. "This is a bit of practice for later, yeah? You want to see if you can do it?"

She nodded, but didn't raise her eyes from the floor. "Yes, Master."

He gritted his teeth and whispered, "Bloody hell." He cleared his throat and looked up from the Slayer kneeling at his feet, forcing himself to focus on the bathtub. "Need to take a shower, pet. Go get the water started and then get me out of these jeans."

A shiver zipped through her at the tone of his voice and she whispered, "Yes, Master." She rose to her feet gracefully, keeping her eyes down, and moved to the tub, quickly turning on the water. '_Who knew one little word could have so much… power… over him?'_ She returned to kneel in front of Spike then reached out and gently grasped his calf, prodding him to raise his foot so she could slip the jeans off. She repeated the action with the other foot then dropped the jeans into the hamper on her way back to the tub. She tested the water temperature and made a slight adjustment then dropped to her knees beside the tub. "Your shower is ready, Master."

"Get in and wash yourself up. Need you clean, pet." She jumped to her feet and stepped under the spray, pulling the clear glass door shut behind her.

Spike's eyes went wide and he quickly realized his mistake as the water cascaded over her. '_Fuckin' hell. I should've gone first.' _He groaned loudly as her small hands, covered in suds, slid over her breasts and down her belly. She arched into the touch, her mouth opening and her tongue darting out to lick drops of water from her lips as her hands traveled lower. '_She's tryin' to dust me, I swear.'_

Buffy peeked at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled to herself when she saw the muscles in his arms bunching and flexing as he clenched and unclenched his hands. She dipped her fingers between her legs, stroking slowly and not bothering to stifle the moans as she slid her other hand back up to her breast.

Spike stepped to the tub, somewhat jerkily, and slid the door open. "Rinse off and move to the other end."

"Yes, Master." She stood under the water until all the suds had washed down the drain then stepped forward, her back to Spike as he stepped into the tub.

He stepped under the water, closing his eyes as he soaked his hair, then he stepped forward and mumbled, "Wash me."

She turned to face him with a whispered, "Yes, Master," and stepped close, a bolt of heat shooting straight to her core at the growl that rumbled through his chest. She picked up the bottle of body wash and liberally soaped her hands then slid them over his torso, covering every inch. She scratched lightly with her nails at the sticky tape residue, working it loose until it slid down his body in soapy chunks. She moved her attentions to his tense arms, working her fingers into the muscles until they were hanging loosely at his sides. She poured a little more body wash into her palm and rubbed her hands together as she knelt in front of him. She quickly scrubbed his legs then prompted him to lift his feet again, smiling when her fingers rubbing over his soles made him twitch. '_Who knew the Big Bad was ticklish?_'

She stood back and eyed him speculatively for a second then stepped close. He had his head tilted back; his eyes still closed as she picked up the shampoo bottle and upended a large dollop into her hand. She gently lathered his curls, working her nails over his scalp, then moved him under the water and rinsed the bubbles away. He lowered his head, opening his eyes as he reached behind him to turn off the water. He froze with his hand on the faucet handle when she wrapped her hand around him. "Not done, Master."

He growled again, low and deep, as she soaped her hands and slid them over his backside. His growl changed to a loud moan when one of her soapy hands moved around to stroke him while the other moved lower to gently fondle and squeeze. He was panting and thrusting his hips when she pushed him back under the water to rinse, then let him go and stood quietly, staring at his feet. His low growl echoed around the shower stall as he lifted her chin and his lust-filled eyes met hers. "Turn around."

She turned and laid her hands on the wall, spreading her legs as he stepped up behind her and grasped her hips then slid into her with a loud groan. She pushed back against him, meeting his hard thrusts, her breaths coming in short pants as his hand slipped around and stroked her furiously. She clamped down on him as her orgasm ripped through her, tearing a scream from her throat. His cry of release mingled with hers as he collapsed against her, pushing her flush against the wall. He leaned against her, panting harshly as he mumbled, "Love you, Buffy. Love you so bloody much."

He pushed himself away from her then stepped under the spray and rinsed off. He opened the door and stepped out onto the mat, sliding his hands over his curls to squeeze the water out. "Rinse off and get out then get me a towel."

"Yes, Master." Buffy grinned at the bottom of the tub as she followed his directions then turned off the water and stepped out beside him. She snagged a towel from the shelf and draped it over his head, scrubbing his curls before she slid it over the rest of him. When he was completely dry she tossed the towel over the rack and stood quietly. He pulled a towel off the shelf and wrapped it around her then leaned down and captured her lips in a tender kiss. "You're perfect, kitten. Bloody perfect."

She smiled up at him, her hair dripping on the strong arms wrapped around her. "I did it right?"

He tugged the towel up over her head then let her go and stepped over to the sink, picking up his gel. "You did everything just right, kitten." He slicked his hair back as he watched Buffy dry hers. "You're absolutely sure you want to do this? I don't want you to feel… I mean… just us is one thing… at Court… there's demons…"

She reached over and smacked his bare backside. "Yes, Spike. I want to do this. Now go get dressed."

He yelped and jumped toward the door, "Oi! Who's Master here?"

She giggled, "What should I wear? What's appropriate pet attire?"

He leered at her from the bathroom doorway, "You look delicious just the way you are, luv. All you need's a collar and cuffs and you'd be kitted out perfectly."

She glared at him, "Uh… no. I'll do the pet thing, but I'm doing it in clothes." Her glare changed to a leer of her own, "Unless we're at home… alone… then…"

His imagination flared with images of a naked Buffy wearing a leather collar and he gripped the doorframe hard as he groaned and stepped through the door. "You're gonna dust me, kitten, you really are. Uh… wear a dress or somethin' comfortable. No trousers." He poked his head back into the bathroom with a grin, "No knickers, either." She chucked her towel at his grinning face and followed him out of the bathroom.


	34. Chapter 34  New Business

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Four – New Business

Buffy tightened her fingers around Spike's. "We're not gonna be too late, are we?"

Spike smirked over at her as they hurried down the sidewalk. "A little, but it'll be all right, pet. If **somebody** hadn't taken so long tryin' to find somethin' to wear…"

She smacked his arm, "Hey! Just because I have variety and you don't, Mr. Everything I Wear Is Black So I Don't Have To Worry About Matching Anything."

*_Spike? Where are you?_*

Spike's chuckle was cut short as he startled and yelped, "Cripes, Glinda! Don't do that!"

Buffy stopped and looked around at the quiet street. "Tara? Where?"

Spike shook his head, tapping on his temple as he tugged Buffy's hand to get her walking again. "In here, pet. She can natter at me inside my melon."

*_I'm not… uh… interrupting anything, am I? And I'm not 'nattering,' Spike. Are you going to be here soon?_*

"No, luv, you're not interrupting, and we're almost there. 'Bout ten minutes."

*_We? You're bringing Buffy?_*

"Yeah."

*_Oh. Ok. And she's ok with that? She understands everything?_*

"Not everything, we didn't have time to go over the piles and piles of rules, but she's got the basics. She'll do fine."

Buffy's brow furrowed as she frowned and looked over at Spike. "You're talking about me?"

Spike nodded, "Yeah, pet." then held up his hand, shushing her before she could respond.

*_I don't know if that's a good idea, Spike. We've got a full house tonight. I think every demon in Sunnydale is in the Court chamber, and they're not happy._*

"What's the problem?"

*_They know Buffy's back. I've heard several stories about how she attacked a baby demon and almost killed him. A lot of them are afraid she's here to kill them all._*

Spike snarled, "Oh, bloody hell. She didn't almost kill anything! She punched him… once. And he's bloody huge. Doubt if he's even bruised."

*_Well, that's not how I heard it. Maybe you shouldn't bring her until we can get everybody calmed down. I've been casting calming spells, but they're not having much of an effect. There's too much agitation and nervous energy. Things might get out of hand as soon as they see her._*

Spike shook his head, "I'll handle it, Glinda. She knows what she has to do and as long as she does it right, it'll diffuse the situation long enough for me to explain what she's doing here."

*_All right, Spike. I'll try to keep things calm until you get here. Just hurry, ok?_*

"We're almost there, pet. I'll need you to conjure a few things for Buffy before we go into the chamber, yeah?"

*_Collar and cuffs?_*

"Yeah. Black leather, if you would. Small silver spikes would be a nice touch."

Spike could feel her laughter echoing around his head, *_I know your tastes, Spike. They'll be ready when you get here._*

"Ta, luv. See you in a mo'." Buffy squeezed Spike's hand and he glanced over at her, eyebrow raised. "Kitten?"

"Leather? Spikes? Leather what with spikes?"

Spike smiled sheepishly, "Oh… uh… forgot to tell you… um… it's a collar and cuffs. Pets wear 'em… they're… uh… required."

Buffy stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk. "Excuse me? You seriously expect me to wear a collar like a dog? Is there a leash, too? What about a food bowl with my name on it? A chew toy? Does that come with the 'Pet Set' Tara's conjuring up?"

Spike turned to face her, taking her hands in his, "I'm sorry, Buffy. You don't have to do this right now; I know it's a lot to take in and you're not ready. You go on back to the house and I'll see you after, all right? Might be a bit late, though. Apparently word's got round that you're here and I've a chamber full of upset demons to get sorted. They think you're here to kill 'em all. Could take most of the night to get 'em calmed down."

Buffy chewed on her lip as she looked back down the street and then up at the mansion looming over them. "How will you prove that I'm not gonna hurt them if I'm not there?"

Spike shrugged, "I'll manage, luv. Most of 'em have been here a while, so they know my word's good. Might lose some of the newer ones, though. They'll probably be out of town 'fore daybreak if I can't convince 'em that you're not here to start a bloody rampage."

She looked back down the street again as she reached up and gently fingered her mark. Her eyes drifted shut for a second then snapped open, fixing on Spike's. "I'll do it."

She started walking toward the mansion and he grasped her arm, halting her. "You don't have to, pet. I don't want you to feel…"

Buffy turned and reached up to cup his cheek, brushing her thumb over his lips, "You'd do it for me, wouldn't you?" He nodded slowly, leaning his head into her touch. "Then I'll do it for you. I've got your back, remember?" She turned and started walking again, tugging his hand and pulling him along behind her. "There better not be a leash, buddy."

Buffy's skin started tingling as they walked up the driveway at the end of the mansion. She rolled her shoulders and slid her hand roughly up and down her arm. "Spike, I'm all tingly. Are you all tingly? It's weird. What's going on?"

Spike chuckled, "Wards on the mansion, luv. Keeps out the undesirables. You're tinglin' 'cause you've been invited in and the wards are lettin' you through."

Buffy was still rubbing her arm. "Oh. What happens if someone's not invited? Does it work on everyone? Humans and demons?"

"Yeah, it works on everyone and if you're not invited, you bounce off. Kind of like the barrier that keeps vamps out of your house."

Tara met them at the kitchen door holding a thin, black leather collar that was lined with fur and studded with small silver spikes. Before Buffy could step across the threshold, Tara handed the collar to Spike then reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out the matching wrist cuffs. Buffy turned to face Spike and he held up the collar questioningly, "You're sure?"

She nodded, lifting her hair away from her neck. "Yes." He slid the collar around her neck then reached around to buckle it in the back while Tara mumbled something quietly as she touched his hand and the collar. Spike nodded at her as he slipped a finger between the collar and Buffy's neck to make sure it wasn't too tight. It sat just below his mark, the black leather and silver spikes contrasting starkly with the fang marks, causing them to stand out. Spike's demon purred at the sight, supremely happy to have claimed such a strong partner.

Spike smiled as he reached around to take the cuffs from Tara. "Looks amazin', kitten. Suits you." Buffy let her hair drop then brushed her fingers over the mark, shivering at the sensation. Spike slipped a cuff around her wrist and buckled it snugly. "One more, pet."

She fingered the cuff on her arm as Spike wrapped the other supple, fur-lined cuff around her wrist and buckled it. "These are nice, Tara. Uh… comfy."

Tara smiled at her warmly as she turned back to face the door, "You're sure about this? You know what it means?"

Buffy nodded, "Yes, I know what it means. I'm showing everyone that Spike's in charge and has control of everything in Sunnydale… even the Slayer." She tilted her head and pushed her hair back to expose her mark to the weak light from the open door. "I belong to Spike. I get it, Tara."

Tara took her hand and smiled. "And you know what to do?"

Buffy nodded, "Yes, no talking or looking, follow and kneel when he stops, and call him Master." She felt Spike shiver behind her and reached back to take his hand. "I can do this, you guys. I'm all with the Pet Buffy, so let's get in there so Spike can do his Mastery stuff."

Tara stepped into the house, pulling Buffy through behind her. "From now on, until Court's over, he's Master Spike."

Spike stepped through the door just as Clem came barreling into the room, ears flapping. "Master Spike! You'd better hurry, it's about to get ugly in there. A family of M'shaltur demons is threatening to sacrifice a group of Klatnik demons to appease the evil Slayer spirit. I asked them to hold off on that for a minute so I could come find you and pointed them at the snack table. They seem to like Cheetos." He smiled and waved at Buffy, "Hi, Slayer."

She smiled back as Spike rolled his eyes and strode quickly through the room, "M'shalturs are a bunch of bloody drama queens. They'd do a sacrifice to appease the evil spirit of daytime telly or soddin' jelly donuts." He glanced quickly behind him, meeting Buffy's eyes. "It's show time, pet. You ready?"

Buffy slid out of her jacket and tossed it on a table then rushed forward and fell into step behind Spike, her eyes on the floor at her feet and her hands clasped behind her back. "Yes, Master Spike."

Tara called out, "Master Spike?"

He stopped and turned to face her, "Yeah?"

She held up a leash of braided black leather, "Don't you need this?"

Buffy glanced at Tara out of the corner of her eye and frowned at the leash dangling from her fingers. Spike noticed the frown and placed his hand gently on her arm as he shook his head, "No, luv, I don't. I trust Buffy, and havin' her follow me without bein' tethered will show everyone how highly I value her and how much she trusts me." He squeezed Buffy's arm and smiled at her when she glanced up at him. "'Sides, it'd just brass you off and I'd much rather sleep in my bed than on the ruddy couch."

Buffy giggled as Tara nodded at Spike then tossed the leash onto a nearby table. "Works for me. Let's go."

Spike paused long enough for Clem and Tara to get in front of him then they all walked quickly down the hallway toward an increasingly loud noise. To Buffy, it sounded like a stadium full of screaming sports fans. The only difference was that most of the voices she heard weren't what you would call human. There were screeches and howls and a strange whistling that seemed to vibrate deep in her skull.

Clem stopped at a set of large, heavy, wooden doors and paused to take a deep breath before he swept them open and stepped through, moving to the side. Tara followed him through the door and strode purposefully into the room, leaving Spike standing in the doorway. Buffy dropped to her knees beside him as soon as he stopped walking and his hand moved to slide through her hair, his nails lightly scratching her scalp. She took a deep breath and leaned her head slightly into his hand. '_I can do this. I just have to think of how many times Spike's pride was trampled on because of that stupid chip. And I did a lot of the trampling. I owe him this… and… I trust him.'_

Buffy jumped as a loud thunderclap cracked through the large room and startled everyone into silence. In the resulting calm, Tara clapped her hands and said loudly, "Everyone rise! I now present Master Spike, Master of Sunnydale and the Hellmouth, and his pet, Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Spike tugged lightly on Buffy's hair as he started to step forward and she rose quickly to her feet and followed him, eyes down. She heard Clem slip behind her as soon as she'd crossed the threshold to pull the doors closed with a loud thunk.

In her limited field of vision she saw dozens of different species of demon, all bowing in respect as Spike strode past, then sitting, or squatting, or whatever their multitude of appendages and skeletal structures would allow them to do to assume a resting position. Buffy stuck close to the flapping duster, not daring to look up as the murmuring that was quiet to start with seemed to get louder with every step she took.

Spike moved quickly, not acknowledging any of the demons, his gaze focused on the dais at the front of the room. He vaulted up the stairs as soon as he reached it and turned dramatically, his duster flaring as Buffy quickly moved to the right side of the largest chair and dropped to her knees on the cold, stone platform. She sat back on her feet, straightening her skirt, then clasped her hands together in her lap and focused on her knees. Her Slayer sense was going gangbusters at being in such close proximity to hundreds of demons, and she took several deep breaths to calm herself as the murmuring seemed to reach a peak.

Spike suddenly bellowed, "Shut it!" and the room went deathly silent again. He stepped back and dropped into his chair, leaning his elbow on the armrest closest to Buffy. "All right then. I gather you lot don't fancy muckin' about with procedure this time out, yeah?"

The roomful of demons shouted their assent and Spike held up his hand until they had quieted down. "Let's get right down to it then." He motioned toward Buffy, "As you all can see, the Slayer's back in Sunnydale." He held up his hand again as he saw a large, spiny demon start to get to its feet. "I know you've heard a few tall tales 'bout her, but I'm here to tell you, they're not true."

The large, spiny demon shouted in a voice that sounded like it was trying to speak around a mouthful of gravel, the words coming out all growly and rough, "She attacked my baby! Almost killed him!"

Spike bolted to his feet, roaring as his demon surged to the fore. "She bloody well did not! And I won't have any of you spreadin' lies!" He threw a cold amber-eyed glare at the demon, his voice suddenly quiet and hard. "You will also respect me in my Court by addressin' me properly."

The demon trembled slightly as it bowed its head. "My apologies, Master Spike. I meant no offense."

Spike nodded curtly, "Apology accepted. Now, about the 'incident.' The Slayer did attack, but it was only one punch, and she stopped as soon as I told her to. She's sorry that she hurt your child, aren't you, pet?"

Buffy nodded quickly and said loudly. "Yes, Master Spike."

"And she's promised that she won't kill anyone or anything 'less I give her leave. Right, pet?"

Buffy nodded again. "Yes, Master Spike."

"She's here to protect this town and the Hellmouth just as I am. You can trust her with your lives just as you trust me."

A small, bright purple demon on the other side of the room jumped to its feet and screeched, "Begging your pardon, Master Spike, but how can we be sure? How do we know you have control of her? She's a Slayer! I've never heard of any Slayer that let a vampire control her!"

Spike nodded as his demon melted away, "I understand your concern, Milton." He turned slightly toward Buffy. "Stand up, pet." Buffy got quickly to her feet, making sure to keep her eyes on the floor directly in front of her. Spike moved behind her and tipped her head to the side, pulling her hair back from her neck to expose his mark. A loud gasp erupted through the room as Spike trailed his fingers over the bite. "She bears my mark. She's mine." He slid his fingers under her chin, raising her face as he whispered in her ear, "Look, luv."

She lifted her eyes and looked out over the room, taking care to not make eye contact with any of the demons currently watching her in awe. Spike stepped up beside her and took her hand in his then leveled a steady gaze over the assembled demons. "Buffy is my Slayer and I expect her to be afforded the same respect you show me. She's accepted my Claim and will one day be my Mate." Another loud gasp rolled through the room as Spike stepped in front of her and lifted her mouth to his for a gentle kiss. He pressed his forehead to hers, his hand slipping to the back of her neck as he whispered, "I love you, Buffy."

She met his gaze and whispered back, "I love you, Spike," then knelt again as he let her go and sat back down in his chair.

He glanced over at Tara with a quirked eyebrow and she smiled. *_They all seem to have accepted her. I don't see anything in their auras that says anybody's afraid or angry or anything. There's a little bit of jealousy coming from a few of them, but hey… who can blame them? Buffy's got herself one hot man._*

Tara winked at him and Spike gave her a tiny grin of pride then nodded and clapped his hands together sharply. "All right then, on to new business!" He looked out over the room. "Kathy? You here, pet?"


	35. Chapter 35  I'm Kitten You're Bitch

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Five – I'm Kitten. You're Bitch

Court was boring. Spike wasn't kidding at all about that. It was monumentally boring. As boring as… some other boring thing that she couldn't come up with because her brain was full of fuzz. It was a little bit interesting at the start because she'd been able to see a few demon species that she'd never heard of when the new residents had introduced themselves, but since then it had gone downhill. Quickly. '_God, I think I'd rather be at the shop doing research. That's a wild, drunken party compared to this. And there's usually pizza.' _ She caught a whiff of something unpleasant and wrinkled her nose. '_And the shop doesn't smell like onions… or rotten eggs… or whatever that is. Ew.'_

Buffy's legs had gone to sleep ages ago as various demons droned on and on about whatever issue was currently torqueing their cookies. Buffy sighed quietly. '_God, what a bunch of whiners. And Spike has to deal with this all the time. I'd have punched something by now. Yeah, Spike can be in charge… I **so** don't want this job.'_ Spike made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat as he listened to the latest demon's tale of woe. It was speaking in a weird sort of clicking and grunting language that she wasn't even sure should qualify as a language, so she had no idea what this demon was having a problem with, but it sure seemed emotional about it.

Spike shifted in his chair then reached out to slide his fingers along the back of Buffy's neck as he tugged her close to his leg. She slid over; grimacing as the movement woke up her legs just enough for the ever-so-enjoyable pins and needles sensation to flare up all along her used-to-be blissfully numb limbs. She leaned into Spike's leg and wrapped her arm around his calf, resting her hand on top of his boot. He carded his fingers through her hair as whiny demon number… whatever, continued clicking and grunting.

Buffy laid her head on Spike's knee, her eyes drifting shut as her mind wandered. '_How can Spike… poster child for vampire ADD… sit so still for so long and be so patient? He never used to be like this. The only other time I've seen him be so silent and not moving was when he was unconscious. Before, he'd have been up and pacing around, smoking like a chimney and bitching about how he doesn't have time for all this 'bollocks.' He hasn't even had a cigarette the whole time we've been here. Maybe it's against the rules or something… and that's another thing… Spike is following rules… Spike… rules… the following of… God, that's just like six hundred kinds of weird. Guess being responsible for all of this stuff finally made the hundred and whatever year old vampire grow up.' _

She shifted slightly and settled her cheek into a more comfortable position on his knee. '_And Tara. Wow. She's like his right hand man… or woman… whatever. The demons show her just as much respect as they show him. Quiet and timid, won't say boo to anybody Tara, is like the most powerful woman in Sunnydale.' _Spike grunted and Buffy heard Tara shifting in her chair. '_Tara must be talking inside his head again. I wonder if he can talk back to her the same way? He didn't on the street, but he hasn't said hardly anything to her in here, so maybe he can. That would be kind of cool… and really handy in a fight.'_

Spike's fingers trailed down Buffy's cheek and brushed lightly against her jaw, causing a shiver to work its way down her spine. She tightened her arm briefly on his leg as the clicking and grunting… yep, you guessed it… continued._ 'Dawnie will be here tomorrow, or actually, later today. God, is this guy ever gonna shut up? Wonder if she's gonna wig when she sees that Spike bit me. Tara didn't seem surprised, but hey… both in the Spike bite club here. Wonder if he's bitten any of my other friends? Oh God… Giles. He's probably gonna have to get new glasses after he polishes the lenses right out of the ones he has. Especially when I ask him for books on vampire mating. Wheee. That's gonna be a world of fun.'_

The demon suddenly stopped clicking and Buffy startled when Spike spoke. "All right, I'll go have a chat with him. I understand your requirements and we'll get it sorted. Willie's usually fairly agreeable… least when I'm asking. Is there anything else?"

Buffy groaned silently to herself when Mr. Clicky Demon started clicking again. '_You just had to ask, didn't you, Spike?'_ Apparently, Mr. Clicky was just saying 'no' or something because the clicking and grunting only lasted a few seconds then the demon turned and moved back to its seat. '_Thank God.'_

Spike nudged her over and got to his feet, looking out over the room. "That it then? Anyone else need to speak with me?" When no one responded, Spike dropped back into the chair and leaned down to whisper in Buffy's ear. "Can you walk, pet?"

Her legs had gone numb again and she shook her head slightly as she leaned back against the chair and whispered, "Don't think so. My legs are asleep, Master."

He nodded and sat back in the chair. "Lavelda? I need to speak with you. The rest of you, Court is adjourned. Please show yourselves out. Clem, could you get the doors?"

Clem pushed the doors open then nodded and smiled at the multitude of demons that were slowly shuffling out of the room. A few took to the air, flying over the heads of the others and out the large open window above the dais. Buffy heard a loud pop that made her ears ring when a large family of demons, sitting just inside her field of vision, suddenly disappeared, a few of the chairs they had been sitting on falling over with a loud clatter. Buffy dropped her eyes to her knees and held her position as she listened to the room slowly empty out.

A shapely pair of legs that ended in a pair of fashionable black pumps slowly climbed the steps and stopped in front of her. A silver ankle bracelet with a dangling heart charm glinted in the light as a cloud of way too much lilac perfume surrounded Buffy. She held her breath as long as she could and then opened her mouth slightly as she tried to breathe through the cloying scent.

A lilting, melodic voice said, "Master Spike, so nice to see you again. You're looking amazing, as usual. Very fit."

Buffy could almost **feel** the woman's eyes crawling all over her vampire and had to tamp down a growl. She kept her head down but rolled her eyes up to peek through her hair as Spike leaned forward, reaching over her head to take a slim hand, adorned with several silver rings, and bring it to his lips. He pressed a light kiss to the back of it and his voice was all melty when he said, "Thank you for staying, Lavelda, and it's nice to see you back in town. How was your holiday?"

That growl was trying to escape again and Buffy clamped her lips together tightly, even though that meant she had to breathe through her nose, but a growling pet probably wouldn't be good for Spike's image. She struggled to keep it contained as she groused in her head. '_Melty voice? She gets melty voice?'_

"Oh, it was wonderful. London is very beautiful, and thank you for suggesting it, but I'm afraid I had to cut the visit short… the damp weather was just not to my liking. I did enjoy all the **fine** English men, though." Her laugh was like tinkling bells. Buffy hated it. "I guess I don't have to stop that… with one of the finest right here in my hometown."

Spike chuckled and dipped his head slightly, "Ta, Lavelda. You're very kind."

Buffy could feel Lavelda's eyes on her and cringed inwardly as that voice lilted all over her. "Your pet is very beautiful, Master Spike. You've done very well for yourself."

Lavelda squeezed Spike's fingers and gently rubbed her thumb along his knuckles as her annoying tinkly laugh sprinkled over Buffy like chips of ice. Buffy twined her fingers together tightly in her lap, trying to keep them from forming into a fist and punching the skank who dared to… '_Why is she still touching him? She doesn't need to be touching him anymore. He's mine.'_ One of her fingernails punched through the skin of her palm and Spike's nose twitched slightly as a small bead of blood welled up along the tiny cut.

He let go of Lavelda's hand and dropped his hand to Buffy's head then started lightly stroking her hair. "Yes, she is, and yes, I have. Thank you." He shifted in the chair, his jeans clad leg brushing against Buffy's arm. "I'm a very lucky bloke, Lavelda. Buffy's a hell of a woman."

The tone of Lavelda's voice was a lot colder and more formal when she asked in clipped words, "What did you need to speak to me about, Master Spike?"

If Spike had picked up on her sudden change of attitude, he didn't show it. "I was wonderin' if you'd sensed any vampires in or around Sunnydale, other than me, of course."

She nodded and cocked one hip out, perching a perfectly manicured hand on it. "Yes, I have. There was a group of eight or so the other night in Restfield, but I'm assuming you took care of that, as I no longer feel them." Spike nodded. "There's one in the basement of this building." Spike nodded again. "There's one… a Master… female… older than you… under the college. Her mind is… not right."

Spike frowned. "Drusilla? She's here?"

The lilac perfume wafted around Buffy, almost making her gag as Lavelda moved over a few steps to stand in front of Tara's chair. "Do you mind?"

Tara glanced at Spike. *_Do you want me to let her sit?_* Spike nodded and Tara stood up, motioning for Lavelda to take her place. "Not at all. Now that everyone is gone, I need to take down the spell. Keeping it going for this long is starting to wear on me." Tara moved away from the chair as Lavelda dropped gracefully into it, canting her torso toward Spike to display her ample cleavage at the best possible angle. She laid her hand on his arm, smiling seductively.

Buffy turned her head slowly, trying not to draw attention to herself, and peeked up at Spike out of the corner of her eye. She grimaced as Lavelda's fingers traced light patterns over Spike's leather covered forearm. She forced herself to turn and watch Tara make her way to the other side of the huge room as she fought down another growl.

Spike was still stroking Buffy's hair and lightly twining his fingers through it. He tapped lightly against her neck as he murmured, "You should watch this, kitten. It's a bit weird, but interestin' all the same."

Lavelda's tinkling laugh spilled out again, setting Buffy's teeth on edge. "I've seen it done before, but I've never been in the middle of it."

Buffy frowned and clenched her jaw. '_He was talking to **me**… I'm **kitten**… you're… **bitch**.'_ She closed her eyes and started chanting in her head. '_Keep your cool, Buffy. Keep it together. Don't make Spike look bad. Do **not** kill the bitch… but if she doesn't stop touching him…' _She clenched her hands again, making new divots in her palms_. 'Be a good Buffy… for Spike.'_

Buffy opened her eyes, Lavelda's annoying voice washing over her as she started blathering on about London and how nice the football players looked in their uniforms… blah, blah, blah. Buffy tuned her out as she watched Tara walk past the rows and rows of chairs, waving her hands. Buffy gasped as the chairs dissolved, leaving swirling, glittery dust in their place. When Tara reached the wooden doors, roughly a hundred feet away from where Buffy was kneeling, she turned to face the room and closed her eyes as she chanted something in a strange, flowing language. Buffy's stomach lurched as the room suddenly shifted, the ceiling dropping and the walls closing in. Plush carpet grew under her numb legs as the dais dissolved and Buffy seemed to float on the carpet then landed with a small thump when the dais disappeared completely. A roaring fireplace popped into existence directly behind Tara and both of them started moving toward her at a frightening pace.

The hard wooden chair she had been leaning against changed to something soft and squishy and Buffy closed her eyes, her head whirling and tumbling like she was on a carnival ride. Tara stopped chanting and when Buffy opened her eyes she was standing about fifteen feet away on the other side of a large coffee table that had appeared between them. She was turned away, holding her hands out to the heat from the fire. Buffy blinked when Tara turned and smiled at her. *_Buffy? Don't freak out._*

Buffy jerked, bumping into Spike's leg and causing his fingers to tug sharply on the hair he'd been twining through them. He looked down at her and asked quietly, "You all right, pet?"

She nodded under his hand, "Yes, Master Spike," and he turned back to Lavelda as she continued to talk about her trip to London. Buffy turned her head slightly so Spike and Lavelda couldn't see her face, then looked up at Tara and mouthed, "Was that you?"

*_Yes, it's me. You can talk back to me; just don't say anything out loud. Think it and I'll hear you._* She smiled gently. *_You look like you have a bunch of questions, and we really didn't have a chance to talk much before Court started, so if you want to, you can ask and I'll tell you as much as I can while Spike and Lavelda are talking.*_

Buffy closed her eyes and concentrated. The analytical part of her Slayer brain considered the bucket full of questions she wanted to ask, from what the heck Mr. Clicky Demon was so unhappy about, to what happened to the huge, airy room that had been turned into a cozy living room with overstuffed furniture and a roaring fire. Her brain turned over several questions, trying to find the most important one, and finally formed the one question that was burning uppermost in her mind. *_Who is this skanky ho and why is she touching my vampire? Can I kill her? She is a demon, right?_*

Tara's laughter felt really weird as it ping-ponged around Buffy's mind. *_Yes, she's a demon, Buffy. And no, you can't kill her. She's a shape-shifter, but she only looks like this when she's around Spike. She's been after him for years, but she's never come on quite this strong before._*

Spike's hand left Buffy's head as he shifted in the chair, turning slightly and pulling his arm out from under Lavelda's hand. He dug in the pockets of his duster, pulling out a pack of smokes and his trusty Zippo. He turned a little more, pulling one leg up into the chair that had turned into a high-end leather recliner, and sparked up. He sucked the smoke deep into his lungs as he leaned back on the arm of the chair the furthest away from Lavelda. She was ensconced in her own recliner and was leaning over the overstuffed arm far enough that she was in danger of tipping right out into Spike's lap. His leg was still pressed against Buffy and she slid her arm around it, squeezing his calf against her side.

Lavelda frowned at the gesture and sat up a tiny bit then reached out and rested her hand on Spike's knee that was propped against the arm of his chair. "Your pet is not very well trained, Master Spike. She's breaking form."

Spike chuckled, "You can drop the Master, Vel. And she's not really my pet; you know that as well as I do." He looked over at Tara, "Glinda, could you do something for Buffy's legs? They've gone to sleep."

Tara nodded and moved around the coffee table then sat down on it, leaning toward Buffy. "I'm going to do a quick healing spell, Buffy. It might feel a little weird, but it shouldn't hurt."

Buffy nodded and Spike turned his gaze back to Lavelda as Tara chanted and lightly ran her fingers over Buffy's legs. "So, Vel, my Sire's in Sunnydale, eh? Do you know how long she's been here?"

Lavelda shook her head. "She was already here when I got back about a week ago."

Spike nodded, "Under the college, you say? Wonder what she's doin' down there? And she's alone?"

"Right now she is. There were some other vampires with her earlier, but they've moved." Lavelda leaned forward and took the pack of cigarettes out of Spike's hand then shook one out and placed it between her full, ruby red lips. She tossed the pack at him and he caught it as he leaned forward, flicking his lighter. She took a deep drag as he flipped his lighter closed and stuffed everything back into his pocket.

Buffy's legs felt fine now, but they were going to go right back to sleep if she didn't move soon. She lightly squeezed Spike's leg and he looked down at her. "Legs all right now?"

She nodded, "Yes, Master Spike, but…"

Spike smiled, "Court's over, kitten, no more need for that. Climb on up here." He shifted in the chair then put his foot back on the floor and patted his thigh. Buffy grinned and got to her feet then sat down on Spike's lap, draping her arm across his shoulders as she pulled her legs up and snuggled into him. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, lightly nipping her lips before kissing her deeply. She was panting slightly when he let her go and turned back to Lavelda. "Moved where?"

She was gaping at them with wide eyes then seemed to remember herself and snapped her mouth shut, jealousy written all over her fake shape-shiftery face. Buffy grinned because the daggers that Lavelda was glaring at her **didn't** give her a little shivery thrill of vindication. Uh-uh. Not at all. '_That's right, ya big ho. He's my vampire. So suck on that.'_

Lavelda sputtered, "What?"

Spike chuckled, "The vampires. Where did they move to?"

Lavelda nodded toward the fireplace. "They're in the woods behind the mansion."


	36. Chapter 36  Oi! Again!

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Six – Oi! Again!

Spike chuckled, "The vampires. Where did they move to?"

Lavelda nodded toward the fireplace. "They're in the woods behind the mansion."

Spike followed her gaze, "Are they now? And how long have they been out there?"

Lavelda leaned back in the chair, puffing on her cigarette. "They showed up about an hour after you did."

Tara turned and looked at the fireplace, "What do they want?"

Spike shrugged, "Me. Buffy. What did you find out from that sod in the basement?"

Tara turned back to Spike with a frown. "Nothing. He won't talk. At all. All he does is snarl and growl. I did manage to get his name, but only because I went through his clothes and found an expired driver's license. His name is Thomas and he's from Tennessee, if that helps. He also had a military ID. Army."

Spike frowned, "I got him to talk last night. Took a lot of poundin' and a fair amount of cuttin', but he finally opened his mouth."

Tara smirked at Spike, "How much talking did he actually do? What words did he say?"

Spike looked at her in confusion for a minute then grinned a little sheepishly, "Well… the only word the bloke actually said was 'Slayer.' I could smell Dru in him, so I knew he was hers and I know how her mind works… most of the time… so I guess I filled in the pieces myself."

Buffy looked thoughtful, "Maybe he's scared to talk because he's afraid of what his boss will do to him."

Tara shook her head. "I don't think so. I don't get fear from him at all. He's not afraid of Spike, or me, or whoever he reports to. He's just really, really stubborn." She slid her foot over and nudged Spike's boot. "Bleach his hair and hand him a cigarette and he could be you."

"Oi!"

Buffy giggled, "Well, he is Drusilla's. Maybe she has a type. Infuriatingly stubborn men."

"Oi! Again!"

Buffy and Tara giggled as Lavelda glared. "So the vampire in the basement is Drusilla's Childe?"

Spike shook his head with a quiet chuckle. "No, he's her minion. Strong git, though." He looked at Tara. "Did you suss out what makes him so strong? Magic or…"

She shook her head with a look of frustration. "Whatever it is, it's not magical. The only magic vibe I get from him is the inherent magic that all vampires have. His aura, though. There's something almost… artificial… or synthetic… in it. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was on some kind of medication."

Buffy's brows knitted together, "Vamps on meds? What kind of drugs could make vampires stronger? And what kind of idiot would want to do that?"

Spike tilted his head in thought then looked at Lavelda, "Are all the blokes out there vamps? No humans mixed in?"

She shook her head, "All vampires. The only humans I sense anywhere near here are the two in this room and one sleeping upstairs."

Spike quirked an eyebrow at Tara, "Who's upstairs?"

She blushed slightly, "Willow. She wanted to come to Court, but I told her she couldn't, you know, because of the biting and everything. She wants to talk to you about that later, when you have time."

Spike nodded, "All right, pet. We'll sort that after we sort this."

Buffy leaned back and looked at Spike, "You've figured something out, haven't you? Do you know who's controlling Drusilla?"

"Not who in particular, but maybe what. If Dru's under the college… it might be a vamped soldier boy come back to the Initiative. That would explain the drugs. Adam told me all about it… at length… git really liked to hear himself talk. The stuff those scientists were feedin' the grunts to make 'em so strong might work on vampires."

Buffy's eyes widened, "That place is still there? I thought the government would have… I don't know… taken it apart or something. I didn't really think about it after we kicked Adam's ass, what with Dawn… and Glory… and dying… and coming back… you know… it kind of slipped my mind."

Spike shook his head, "Nope. Gits just left it… walked away. Left all the bodies – demon and human – the equipment… everything. I had a group of demons go in and clean it up… got rid of the bodies, at any rate… thought maybe to use it for some kind of demon housing, but they all refuse to live there… so it's empty. Or, it was. Looks like we may have some new neighbors."

"Who are waiting outside to kill us." Buffy sat up and slid her feet to the floor. "Well, it wouldn't be polite to keep them waiting, so we should go." She glanced over at Lavelda, "How many are out there?"

Lavelda looked slightly offended at being addressed directly by Spike's pet, but she covered with a saccharine smile that made Buffy's teeth ache. "Four."

Spike snorted, "Four? That's all? Well… that's just… insulting."

Buffy grinned, "Shouldn't take very long then. You up for it, Big Bad?"

Spike grinned back, "I'm always up for a spot of violence, luv, but how do you plan to scrap in that cute little number?" He leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Might show off a bit more of your… bits… than you… or I… would like, kitten."

Buffy blushed and looked down at her rather short skirt, suddenly remembering that she wasn't wearing any underwear, per Spike's instructions. "Oh… right. Um…"

Tara chuckled, "Come with me, Buffy. I can fix you up something else to wear and then I'm going to bed. I'm pooped."

Buffy climbed off Spike's lap and followed Tara out of the room. When she came back a few minutes later, she was wearing clothing that was more appropriate for fighting; a long-sleeved black shirt under a leather jacket, black jeans, and a pair of clunky black boots. She walked over and stopped in front of Spike's chair, giggling just a bit. "She took some of your spare clothes and turned them into a girl version." She held out one arm and pulled up the sleeve of her motorcycle jacket, "See? My shirt has a little rose on the cuff."

Spike chuckled and pulled her down onto his lap. "You look delicious, luv." He nuzzled against her neck and whispered in her ear. "Still no knickers though, right? Seein' as how I never wear 'em, I wouldn't have any 'spare' ones lyin' around."

She blushed and shook her head, "Nope."

He reached up and ran his fingers along the collar she was still wearing. "What 'bout this, pet? You want me to take it off now?"

She shook her head again and whispered in his ear, "No… I kind of like it. Makes me feel like you're with me all the time." She sat up and looked down at herself, "Besides, it really goes with this outfit. I look like a female you."

Spike burst into laughter, "All you need is loads of black eyeliner, some black nail polish, and a few safety pins in your jacket. Then you'd be the bird version of me… well… from the 70s, at any rate."

Lavelda got to her feet, smoothing her skirt as she tried not to retch on the couple snuggling in the chair. "I'll just be going. You two have… uh… fun."

Spike smiled up at her, "You're welcome to watch, if you like. I know how much you enjoy a good scrap, Vel. Although with only four vamps, it's not gonna be much of one, but you'll still get to see Buffy in action."

Lavelda looked like she'd rather see pretty much anything else but Buffy doing anything, except maybe disappearing… or bleeding to death. She reached up; brushing her fingers against the largish locket that was nestled in her cleavage, then nodded her head as her mouth twisted into a wicked grin. "Sure. That would be… um… nice."

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Buffy's skin tingled as they passed through the wards on the mansion and stepped out onto the sidewalk. "Why aren't we going out the back? That's where they are, right, Lavelda?"

Lavelda grimaced at being addressed directly… again. '_And she used my name! Of all the nerve!'_ She wrapped her fingers tightly around the locket, hiding the pulsing red glow that emanated from the back as she activated the device. When the light blinked out she smiled and nodded. "Yes, **Slayer**, that's where they are. Four vampires behind the mansion."

Spike squeezed Buffy's hand. "We're going out this way because anybody hiding in the tree line would be able to pick us off too easily if we left by the back door." He looked over his shoulder at Lavelda. "Can you pinpoint them?"

Lavelda closed her eyes and pretended to concentrate. "They're almost directly across from the back door." Her brow furrowed and she frowned. "Wait. Now they're splitting up." She opened her eyes and smiled. "They're circling around the house."

Spike nodded to his left. "I'll take the right side of the mansion." He smiled at Buffy as he nodded to his right. "You take the left side and we'll meet in the middle, yeah?"

Buffy grinned as she leaned up to kiss him. "All right. See you in a few minutes." She pulled a stake from the inside pocket of her jacket and looked at Lavelda, eyeing her silky dress and shiny shoes. "You ready? Might be kind of hard to follow me in that."

Lavelda smirked, "Lead the way, I'll manage." She closed her eyes again and the air around her seemed to shimmer. Buffy's eyes got wide and her mouth dropped open as Lavelda's dress changed to a pair of black jeans and a long-sleeved knit top. Her black pumps seemed to melt into a pair of black hiking boots, and her long, loose curls were suddenly snugged tight to the back of her head in a large bun.

Buffy blinked and closed her mouth. "Wow. That was way cool." She grinned over at Spike. "Having that power would make getting ready take a lot less time."

Spike chuckled, "Might, but somehow I'm doubtin' it, luv."

She smacked his arm then pulled him into a kiss, murmuring against his lips. "Love you, Spike."

He slid his fingers into her hair as he deepened the kiss then pressed his forehead to hers. "Love you back, kitten. Be careful, yeah?" She nodded and he let her go then started off down the sidewalk. Buffy watched him for a few seconds then turned and walked off in the opposite direction. Lavelda grinned wickedly as she fingered the locket through her shirt and followed Buffy.

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Riley frowned as he pressed his fingers against the receiver in his ear. "She's here. Buffy's here."

Nathan's eyes went wide. "I thought you said she'd never go to Court with him, Sire."

Riley growled. "That's because I didn't think she would." His brow furrowed and he shook his head. "She waited in the kitchen or something. There's no way she went into the chamber with him. She'd never kneel at his feet. Never." Something else coming through the receiver made him smile widely. "She got them to split up. Spike will be coming from that direction." He pointed into the trees then pointed at six of the vampires clustered around him. "Nathan, take them and get Spike. I'll take the other six and get Buffy."

Nathan smiled and pulled two tazers from his belt. "I can hit him with both, right, Sire? You're not worried about damage?"

Riley shook his head. "Nope. As long as you don't dust him, you can do whatever you want. Have fun and I'll see you back at base."


	37. Chapter 37  Wicked Boy

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Seven – Wicked Boy

Dawn stepped out of the terminal building into the late afternoon sun and looked over at the corner of the expansive parking lot, searching for a monstrous black car. She frowned when she saw a tiny blue Prius parked in Spike's usual spot. "Where is he? He always waits for me right there." She scanned the rest of the parking lot and spied a few black cars, but none as large as the one she was looking for. "Maybe he's running late." She smirked to herself. "Buffy's probably been keeping him busy."

She pulled her phone from her pocket and punched the speed dial for Spike, frowning again when the call went straight to voice mail. She tried the house, letting it ring twenty times before she finally gave up. "Well… shit." She snapped her phone closed and dropped it back into her pocket. "My flight was delayed, so he should've been here already, even if he did get a late start. Could've at least texted me. Doofus."

She peeked inside the terminal building, lifting her hand to shade her eyes from the glare of the sun, and spotted a car rental counter. "I could rent a car, I suppose… shit… no, I can't. My shopping trip last week maxed out Spike's card. Fuck."

She rooted around in her purse, chasing loose bills, then glared at the paltry sum clutched in her fist. "Not enough to get a cab across the street much less to Sunnydale. Dammit, Spike! Climb off my sister long enough to drive your ass down here!" A woman gasped loudly as she walked past, towing a small girl behind her. Dawn glowered and said, "Bite me," as she pulled her phone back out and dialed another number.

"Magic Box. Can I help you?"

"Tara? This is Dawn."

"Hi, Dawnie. How are you?"

"Um… ok, I guess. Right now I'm in LA at the airport. Spike was supposed to pick me up. Do you know where he is? His cell's off and nobody's answering at the house."

"No. I haven't seen him or Buffy since early this morning. Court ran late and then they went out to dust a bunch of vamps that were waiting outside the mansion. You know about Drusilla?"

"Yeah. Spike told me about it yesterday. Well, shit. Nobody's answering at the house, so maybe they're on their way?"

"Hold on a second." There was a muffled clunk as Tara set the phone down. Dawn waited impatiently for almost five minutes before the rustling sounds of the phone being picked up sounded in her ear. "Dawn?"

"Yeah, still here."

"They're both still in town somewhere. Sorry it took so long, but I had to concentrate, and there was a customer. Anyway, I can feel him somewhere close, Buffy too."

"Feel him?"

"Yes. I have a kind of connection to him because of his bite. It's not very strong, but if I concentrate, I can feel how far away he is."

"And you can feel Buffy?"

"Yes. I think it's because Spike Claimed her. I wasn't sure I could, and her signal or whatever is even weaker than Spike's, but they're both close."

"Spike Claimed Buffy? That is so cool!"

Dawn could hear the smile in Tara's voice. "I think so too. She came to Court with him last night so he could explain to everyone that she wasn't here to kill them all. It was so sweet. Do you want me to come get you?"

"No… no, I'll get there… just… when you find Spike, let him know he's in major trouble for leaving me stranded up here. I am so gonna kick his ass."

Tara laughed, "I'll let him know. They're probably just sleeping."

Dawn barked laughter, "Sleeping… right. I'll see you as soon as I can."

She flipped her phone closed and headed for the line of cabs waiting at the curb. She jerked open the door of the closest one and tossed her bag onto the seat then climbed in after it, folding her long legs to fit in the small space.

The cabbie glanced back over his shoulder and muttered, "Where to, lady?"

"Wolfram and Hart."

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Buffy slowly opened her eyes, regretting it immediately when harsh white light stabbed clear through to her brain. She snapped her eyes shut and started to raise her hand to shade them then frowned in confusion when her hand didn't move. "What the?" She lifted her head and opened her eyes again, just a tiny bit, and squinted down at herself. She was lying on her side on a cold, white, tile floor, with her wrists bound together in front of her by a set of heavy steel manacles. The manacles were attached to a thick-linked chain wrapped around her waist. She leaned up and saw another set of manacles circling her ankles and binding her feet tightly together. She growled as she pulled against the manacles around her wrists, jerking and twisting her arms until she was panting from exertion.

She closed her eyes then dropped her head to the floor and lay still, trying to figure out how she'd ended up like this. '_Ok. We left the mansion. I slipped into the woods with Lavelda close behind and found the two vampires.'_ Images of the fight that really wasn't much of one flashed across her mind. Two vampires turned into six and all of them jumped on her at the same time. They weren't punching… just grabbing… and they were way strong. She managed to dust one on her way to the ground, but then her arms and legs were pinned and a huge vampire was kneeling on her chest. She struggled and thrashed as she shouted to Lavelda to run for Spike. A dark figure stepped out of the trees and pointed something at her. Blinding pain fading into darkness as the figure stepped closer, the moonlight illuminating his features.

Her eyes widened and she clenched her fists in anger. "Riley." She screamed out her rage, thrashing and kicking her legs and pounding her boots on the floor. When she'd used up most of her energy, she stilled, breathing hard as she lay on her back on the hard floor. She thumped her head against the tile in frustration, then took a deep breath and sat up, scooting back to lean against the wall so she could survey her surroundings. '_Bare white room… one clear wall… Initiative cell. Fabulous.'_ She closed her eyes and cataloged her injuries, but there weren't many. Just a little bruising – most of it caused by her thrashing around a few minutes ago – and an especially sore spot on her belly. '_Must be where the tazer hit me. That's what Riley was holding.' _

She looked down at her dirty and torn clothing. Her jeans were sporting several jagged rips from the claws of the vampires that had held her legs, and the sleeves of her jacket and shirt were pretty much was blood on the leather and the shredded bits of her shirt and jeans, but it was dry. _'From the looks of my clothes, I should have cuts and scratches all over me, so I've been here a while. Long enough for my Slayer healing to kick in, anyway. I thought the master plan was to kill me, not throw me in a cell and forget about me… oh shit.' _

Her eyes widened again and she clenched her hands into fists, but this time it was out of fear, not anger. "Spike."

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Dawn marched past the reception desk, ignoring the woman who came darting out from behind it screeching, "Miss! You can't go in there!"

Dawn smirked over her shoulder, "Watch me." She pushed open the door and stepped into the office, scanning around the large room for its occupant.

The woman from the desk pushed through behind her and started stammering apologies. "I'm sorry, sir! She just barged in here!"

The large chair behind the desk spun slowly around to reveal a smiling Angel. "It's all right, Linda. She does that." He stood up and stepped around the desk. "How are you Dawn?"

Dawn stepped close to him with a smile and wrapped him in a hug. "I'm good. Do you have some cash? I don't have enough on me to pay the cab that brought me here."

Angel nodded and motioned for her to have a seat then turned to the scowling woman still standing in the doorway. "Linda, please pay the cab out front and bring us some refreshments."

Angel sat down on the couch beside her and leaned back comfortably. "So, what brings you to LA?"

"Buffy's back."

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"You said I could have him if I helped you! I wore your ugly transmitter. I even got them to split up so they'd be easier to take down! I helped you capture the Slayer, so he's payment for services rendered, just like you promised. He's mine! "

Riley growled at the whining woman, his eyes flashing yellow. "No, he's not. I said you could play with him, but he's mine. And if you don't stop bitching about it, I'll just kill you. Besides, it's not like I forced you into anything. You jumped at the chance, if I remember correctly, and you'll get what you wanted… mostly."

Lavelda grumbled under her breath, but wisely decided not to push the matter when she saw the look on Riley's face. '_Lying, cheating bastard. I **was** promised Spike as payment, but at least I get to have him for a while. That will have to do, I guess.'_ She sighed in resignation. "Fine. Whatever. When can I 'play' with him?"

Riley looked over at Nathan who was lounging in his usual spot against the wall. "Nate?"

Nathan shrugged, "Depends on how undamaged you want him to be, I guess. He's pretty banged up right now, not to mention unconscious, so he probably won't be good for much." He smiled and looked down at his bloody knuckles. "Little bastard just wouldn't go quietly. Took a lot of 'convincing' and both hits from the tazers before he went down, and then the boys and I had a little fun with him when we got back. I imagine he'll be out for a while."

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A low, pained groan drifted up to his ears and a small shift of his body confirmed what he'd feared. It had come from him. He shifted again and bright, intense pain bloomed… well… everywhere. He gritted his teeth and forced it down until it was nothing more than an unpleasant buzz at the back of his mind. A handy trick he'd learned early on – he'd had to, or he'd have never survived Angelus with his sanity intact.

He tried to open his eyes and growled low in his throat when he realized that he was blindfolded. "Bloody hell." He was chained facing a cinderblock wall; most of his weight hanging from his bound wrists and his bare feet barely touching the floor. He pressed his toes into the floor and groaned loudly as some of the pressure was removed from his aching shoulders and arms. He flexed his fingers and twisted his wrists around to grasp the chain attached to the manacles. His fingers spidered up the chain, trying to find out how it was attached, and he gasped in surprise when he found that it was merely draped over a large bolt jutting out from the wall.

He stretched his arms as far as he could and lifted the chain off the bolt then collapsed to the hard concrete floor in a heap. He reached up and snatched the blindfold off, blinking quickly in the darkened room. He looked back up at the wall and glared at the bolt. "Hung up like a bloody shirt on a bloody hook. No soddin' way to treat a Master."

"Oh, but pretty William, he cares not for respect. A naughty, wicked boy he is. Should be punished."


	38. Chapter 38  Don't Call Me Peaches

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Eight – Don't Call Me Peaches

Spike pushed himself to his feet, wavering slightly, and looked around the barren room. A few pillar candles provided the only illumination, but Spike's demon eyes easily picked out the slight form curled up on a tiny cot, heavy chains connecting her to a large bolt in the wall. The cot and a battered card table were the only furniture in the small room. The table held the cluster of candles and several porcelain dolls piled in a jumbled heap. '_It's a ruddy closet. They're keepin' Drusilla chained in a ruddy, bleedin' closet!'_

Spike shuffled toward the cot, the short chain stretched between the manacles on his ankles making it hard to walk. He sat down on the end of the cot and reached out to the shaking form curled up on the other end. "Dru, luv, what've they done to you?"

Drusilla raised her head and Spike gasped at her gaunt features. She'd always been thin, a little wisp of a thing really… but this. She looked like she hadn't fed properly for months. Spike inhaled deeply, taking in her scent, and his demon snarled viciously. "Bloody hell, Dru! You're weaker than you were after that soddin' mob in Prague got hold of you!"

She sat up, leaning on the wall for support, and arranged the chains attaching her wrists to the wall so that they lay on her shoulders. Spike growled quietly at the marks he could see on her pale, almost translucent skin. Apparently she sat like this a lot, because her shoulders were chafed and raw from the weight of the chains. Spike morphed into his demon visage and bit down on his forearm then held it out to Dru. "Drink, luv. You need it."

She dipped her head, wrapping her lips around the bite, and suckled weakly. She pulled back after only a few minutes, laying her head back against the wall. "Thank you, sweet William."

Her eyes opened, slowly focusing on him, and he gasped again at the lucidity shining out of them. The crazy was still there, swimming in the depths, but for the most part… she was here. "What's happened to you, pet? Who's done this to you?"

She smiled wanly, "I met a dashing soldier in Brazil after you left to chase your sunshine. He tasted good… strong and dark, but he isn't sweet like you, William. He hurts me… though not in the ways I like to be hurt. He's wicked… hates the pixies… drove them away after they told me the sunshine was coming back. I miss the pixies, my pretty William…" Her face crumpled and the glint of unshed tears shone in her sorrow-filled eyes. "No. Not my William. Not anymore."

Spike lifted his hands and gently caressed her face, then lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes, "No, not your William, but I still care about you, Dru. What do you mean, drove the pixies away?"

She lifted her arm and rubbed her fingers over several dark bruises along the inside of her elbow. "He makes them prick me with poisoned needles… it burns, Spike… drives the pixies away and hides the stars."

"He's drugging you?" She nodded and Spike scooted closer then pulled her against his chest, wincing slightly when the fabric of her dress rubbed across a bloody scrape. He glanced down at himself and whispered, "Dru… poodle… where the bloody hell are my clothes?"

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A shiny black Viper screeched to a halt in the driveway of 1630 Revello. The passenger door opened slowly and Angel climbed shakily to his feet. He closed the door then leaned against it, his skin paler than usual and his throat working like he was trying to keep from throwing up.

The driver's door sprung open and Dawn lightly stepped out. "I love this car, Angel! Love it! Maybe I'll get Spike to buy me one. He's got enough money, right?"

Angel nodded, still a bit shaken up. "Yeah, he's got enough to buy you a couple dozen, and with the way you drive, you'll need them. Where did you learn to drive like that? New York?"

Dawn laughed as she pulled her bag from the trunk. "No. I don't drive in the city; I take the bus or the subway. Spike taught me to how drive, but driving his monster of a car is way different than driving this. It's so fast!"

Angel nodded weakly and started for the front door. "Fast. Yeah."

Dawn giggled as she walked up the front steps. "I'm surprised that I didn't wreck the thing, what with all the screaming and clutching at things you were doing. Aren't you supposed to be some big scary Champion or something?"

Angel leaned against the wall of the house with a grin. "I am a Champion, Dawn, but I don't think I've ever faced anything as frightening as your driving… and I've lived through several apocalypses."

Dawn held her hand over the door knob and a soft green light flowed from her palm. "Bite me, Peaches." She pushed the door open and stepped inside, dropping her bag on the floor. "Spike? Buffy? You guys here?" Her voice echoed through the house and she frowned. "His car's here, although that doesn't really mean much. He hardly drives it unless he's leaving town."

Angel stepped into the house and nudged her bag out of the way with his foot. "Don't call me Peaches."

Dawn turned around and smirked at him, "Why not? Spike does."

Angel glowered, "Spike does a lot of things. Doesn't mean you should."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest. "You're not going to pitch a bitch about Spike and Buffy being together, are you? 'Cause if you are, then don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

Angel closed the front door, a little harder than he probably should have, and huffed. "No. I'm not going to say anything… to her, anyway. Doesn't mean I have to like it. It's Spike for Christ's sake! What the hell is she thinking?"

Dawn poked a finger into Angel's chest. "She's not thinking… she's loving… so leave her alone or I'll kick your ass from here back to your stupid law firm." She caught the look on his face and headed him off at the pass. "Leave Spike alone, too. I mean it, Angel. It's none of your business. They're both happy, so just leave it alone."

He cleared the thunderous expression off his face with some difficulty then sighed. "Fine, Dawn. I'll leave it alone."

"Good." She spun and headed for the kitchen. "I'll check the basement. You check upstairs."

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Her nose itched. And she couldn't reach it. Buffy twisted her head and rubbed her nose against her leather covered shoulder but it didn't do much to alleviate the itchiness. "God! Are they just going to leave me here? What the hell kind of bad guys are they anyway? I mean, is Riley just that stupid or is he just that scared of me?" She squirmed a little. "And I have to pee." She leaned back against the wall with a sigh.

She was trying to keep focused on her anger at the situation she was in and the small annoying itches that suddenly seemed to crop up whenever you couldn't use your hands. Because whenever she let her mind wander over to '_where the hell is Spike and what have they done to him'_ territory, she suddenly couldn't breathe.

She struggled to her feet and hopped over to the clear wall that separated her from the hallway then stretched her fingers out and just barely brushed them against the surface because she was expecting a nasty shock. She smiled widely when nothing happened. '_Spike said they were electrified or something when he was here. Probably why they have me chained, so I can't break it down.'_ Images of a bloody and battered Spike flashed in her mind and she slammed her eyes shut, fighting for air. "He's fine! He'll find me and we'll get out of here. One of us will stake Riley and then we'll burn this place down." She clenched her hands into fists and forced the images out of her mind. "He's fine, Buffy. He's survived a lot worse than Riley fucking Finn."

A deep chuckle startled her and her eyes flew open to see Riley fucking Finn grinning at her from the other side of the wall. "Hey, Buffy. Long time no see. How've you been?"

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Spike reached behind him and tugged the threadbare blanket over his lap then snapped his fingers in front of her slack face. "Drusilla? My kit?"

She blinked at him then frowned and nodded toward the door. "That nasty little Nathan took them. He hung you up and hurt you and made me watch. I really didn't like it, Spike. It reminded me of Daddy."

Spike frowned, "Sorry about that, pet. Not much I could do about it at the time, yeah? Bit unconscious." Spike looked over his badly bruised and scraped torso then gently prodded a few of the darker bruises. "Broken ribs… thought so." His head also hurt… a lot. That could be a holdover from the blasts of electricity from the tazers, or it could be from the huge lump on the back. He winced when his fingers found the lump and whispered, "What else did that sod do to me while I was out? Not very sportin' usin' me for a punchin' bag."

The pain he'd been ignoring up until now suddenly slammed into him and he sagged against the wall. It seemed that every single part of him hurt, inside and out. Something Dru had said a minute ago finally registered and he looked at her. "Daddy? This Nathan bloke did the same things to me that Angelus used to?"

Drusilla nodded sadly and Spike closed his eyes, focused on sorting the huge pile of pain into manageable bits. He didn't need to look, he could feel it – now that he was concentrating – but he lifted the blanket anyway, cringing when he saw the blood on his thighs. He didn't need to ask either… but he did. "Son of a bitch buggered me, didn't he?"

Drusilla nodded again. "Yes. Then he let the others."

Spike's eyes fell shut and he took a deep, shaky breath. "How many?"

"Four."

"Bloody hell."

The chains rattled as Drusilla reached her hand out, gently laying it on his arm. "William?"

He opened his eyes and smiled faintly at the look of concern on her too thin face then covered her hand with his. "I'll be fine, poodle. 'S not like this hasn't happened to me before, yeah? Remember when 'Gelus found that nest and passed me around to every single vamp in it? Must've been close to a dozen." Drusilla nodded sadly. "If I can survive that on top of all the shite Angelus ever did to me, then I can survive this, pet. Least this time I was unconscious." He squeezed her hand and looked toward the door. "Need to get out of here, luv. Buffy's here somewhere and I need to get to her. Do these wankers come in here to feed you at all?"

Drusilla shrugged, "Some… not for a while. It's usually my Thomas, but he's gone now… and the rest of them forget."

"Thomas? Is your Thomas a tall bloke, dark hair, built like a brick shithouse?"

Drusilla giggled, "You shouldn't be jealous, my Spike."

Spike smirked, "Not jealous, pet, just statin' facts. And your Thomas isn't gone, he's at the mansion." Spike's brow furrowed in thought. "Think he'd be willin' to help out?"


	39. Chapter 39  Completely Awesome

Coming Through

Chapter Thirty Nine – Completely Awesome

Dawn stalked out of the kitchen and into the living room then dropped into Spike's chair and propped her feet up on the coffee table. Angel was walking down the stairs as she pulled her phone out and flipped it open. He took a seat on the couch as she waited for someone to pick up. "Hey, Willow, it's Dawn. Is Tara there?"

"Yes, she's in the kitchen. Are you home?"

"Yeah, but Spike and Buffy aren't. Looks like they haven't been since yesterday. There's a plate of cold spaghetti on the island in the kitchen and the basement looks like… well… let's just say… they had fun."

Willow giggled, "I know. We went by the house earlier. We're all at the mansion now. We think they've been kidnapped… you know, the whole Drusilla thing. Tara says she can still feel them, so they're all right, we just don't know for sure where they're all right at. Are you coming?"

"Yeah, be there in a few minutes." She flipped her phone closed and got to her feet. "Everybody's at the mansion. Apparently Spike and Buffy have been kidnapped."

Angel got to his feet and headed for the front door. "I'm driving."

Dawn reluctantly tossed him the keys and followed him out to the car. The drive to the mansion only took a few minutes, even with an old fogey grandpa vampire at the wheel. Dawn giggled when he put on his blinker. "Geez, Angel! We're the only ones on the street! Who exactly are you telling that you're turning left? I guess that whole being a good guy thing goes all the way through, huh."

Angel smiled sheepishly as he glided the car to a smooth stop. "Yeah… guess so."

They climbed out of the car and started up the walk. Halfway to the house, Angel suddenly bounced off something and landed on his ass in the middle of the sidewalk. "What the hell?"

Dawn offered her hand and pulled him to his feet. "Vampire barrier?"

He shook his head, "No. We're not even to the door yet, besides, this isn't a human's residence, so it doesn't apply here."

The front door swept open and Tara flew down the steps. "Sorry Angel! I forgot about the wards. I put them up after the last time you visited and you haven't been invited through them." She stopped a few feet from Angel and muttered something low and fast then reached her hand out and snagged his sleeve. "You're invited now. Come on."

Tara led them through the house and into the living room. Willow and Giles were perched on the sofa and Xander was slumped down in a chair. Dawn walked over to Xander and pulled him into a quick hug. "How's the wife and kiddo?"

Xander grinned, "Good. Ahn's loving the whole baby thing. She's gonna spoil him rotten with all the holding and carrying. I don't think he's spent more than five minutes not in her arms since they got home."

Dawn giggled, "What about you? Don't you hold him too?"

Xander blushed a little and shook his head, "Not so much. I'm afraid I'm gonna break him, he's so little. I held him while she took a shower earlier and I was terrified the whole time. Every time he moved, I was sure I was gonna drop him."

Willow smiled, "You'll get used to it, Xan."

Dawn dropped onto the couch between Willow and Giles, and Angel took the other chair. "So… what do we know about Spike and Buffy?"

Tara sat down next to Willow. "We think they were taken last night in the woods behind the mansion. There were only supposed to be four vampires out there, but when I went out to look earlier, I found two large trampled areas, so I think there were more. Both areas had blood, one way more than the other one, and there was vamp dust at both spots, so they weren't taken easily."

Dawn's forehead furrowed, "It wasn't dust from our vamp though, right? You said they were both ok?"

Tara nodded, "Yes, I can still feel both of them, so they're alive. I've tried to talk to Spike, but he must be unconscious because he hasn't answered. I think they might be down in the old Initiative base. Lavelda said that Drusilla was under the college, and if the vampires that took Spike and Buffy are with her, then that's probably where they'd be. I could do a locator spell, but there really isn't anywhere else in town that a bunch of rogue vampires could hide, not without being noticed anyway. I put the word out and all the demons in Sunnydale have been looking… and more than a few are waiting for word that we've found them because they want to help get Spike back."

Dawn frowned, "Lavelda? Is she the one that told you about the vampires behind the mansion?"

Tara nodded slowly as she put two and two together. "Yes. She said there were only four…"

Dawn growled, "So she lied. Which means she's probably in on it. That fucking bitch! I knew there was a reason I never liked her. Besides the fact that she's always trying to get into Spike's pants."

Xander sat forward in his chair, "So let's mount up. Muster the demons then hand me an axe and show me where to point it."

Willow shook her head, "No, Xan, you should go home. You've got a baby to worry about now. We can handle whatever."

Xander got to his feet, his eye flashing anger. "No, Wils. I'm going with you. I know I have a son now, but my son is going to have a father that doesn't turn his back on his friends just to save his own ass. Spike and Buffy are in trouble and I'm going to help get them out of it. So let's go."

Angel held up his hand, "Everyone just hold on for a minute. First… do we know how to get into the base? Second… do we know how many we'll be facing? I could send for Wolfram and Hart's Special Ops unit. They could be here in just over an hour."

Tara opened her mouth to answer then jerked in surprise, her hands flying up to her head. _*Spike?*_

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Buffy rattled the shackles on her wrists. "Let me out of these so I can kick your worthless ass!"

Riley just chuckled and shook his head, "No. Don't think I will, since you didn't ask me nicely." He looked around the cell behind her. "Do you like the room? I hope so. You'll be spending a lot of time in there. Now stand back." He held up a tazer and waved it menacingly. "Or I'll hit you with this… again."

Buffy glowered at him as she moved to the back wall of the cell. "Where's Spike?"

Riley looked at her in surprise then punched a code into the panel next to the door and it slid open with a whoosh. "Why do you care?" She didn't answer, just glared at him, and he stalked close to her, holding the tazer at the ready. He stepped close then leaned down and sniffed. Buffy cringed and pushed herself further into the wall as Riley growled. "You smell like him. He's all over you."

She looked up at him defiantly. "Yeah… he has been. Repeatedly." She smirked, even though she knew that what she was about to say was probably going to end up being painful. "And let me tell you something… he's a lot better than you… bigger too. A lot bigger." She closed her eyes and moaned, "Oh my God, Riley, you have no idea… the things he can do with just his tongue…" The punch wasn't even a surprise as it connected with her jaw and sent her flying into the corner. She pushed herself back to her feet, laughter bubbling out of her mouth. "You're pathetic, Riley. I can't believe I never noticed that before now."

Riley darted over to her then twisted his hand into the fabric of her shirt and lifted her off the floor. "You'd better watch your mouth, bitch." He dragged her across the hall and pressed her face up against the cell door. "See that?" He pointed to a crumpled body lying on the floor. Buffy's eyes widened as it painfully rolled over. It was young girl, bruised and bloody. "That's you if you don't shut the fuck up." The girl saw Riley and let out a terrified yelp, then scrambled to the corner and pressed into it, trying to make herself as small as possible.

Riley barked at the group of vampires standing a small distance down the hallway. "Get over here and hold her! Now!"

Four vampires materialized behind Buffy and grasped her arms, holding her tight. Riley punched in the code and the cell door whooshed open, making the girl's frightened whimpering just that much louder. Riley stomped over to her and fisted his hand in her hair then jerked her to her feet. He dragged her over to the door then reached out to punch a code into the panel and stepped back, grinning evilly as the door slid shut.

Buffy struggled against the vampires holding her and yelled, "Leave her alone! You want to hurt someone? Hurt me!"

Riley chuckled as he pressed the girl up against the door directly in front of Buffy. "Oh, I will… don't you worry about that… just thought I'd show you some of what I'm going to do to you." The girl was crying and begging, struggling against the iron grip on the back of her neck as Riley worked open the fastenings of his pants.

Buffy screamed, "Stop, Riley! I'll do whatever you want! Just leave her alone!"

Riley growled, "You'll do whatever I want anyway… eventually." The girl screamed as Riley kicked her legs apart and thrust deep into her, slamming her up against the door again and again. Blood was dripping down her face from a freshly broken nose, and it was coursing down her legs from… Buffy choked back a sob. She could smell the blood, even through the closed door. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her hands into fists, and tried to block out the sounds.

Riley pounded his fist against the door and yelled, "Open your eyes! You'll watch this or I'll dust your precious fucking Spike!"

Buffy wrenched her eyes open, tears pouring down her face, and focused on the girl's eyes, sobbing, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," over and over.

Riley's thrusts were starting to get erratic when he morphed into game face and sank his fangs deep into the girl's neck. She screamed again and finally, blessedly, passed out. Riley pulled mouthful after mouthful then ripped his mouth away from her neck, roaring as he released deep inside her ravaged body. He slumped against her for a few seconds, then raised his wrist to his mouth and bit down. He pressed the bleeding bite to the girl's mouth and his gaze locked with Buffy's as the girl roused and started sucking at the wound.

Buffy was shaking her head and whispering, "No… no… no," when Riley smiled and pulled his wrist away. He flung the girl's body into the corner and raised his wrist to his mouth, sealing the bite as his demon melted away.

He nodded to one of the vampires holding Buffy as he tucked himself back into his pants, "Open the door, Nate." Nathan reached over and punched in the code and the door whooshed open again, the scent of blood and sex washing over Buffy and making her gag.

Riley stepped close and traced his finger along Buffy's jaw, chuckling when she whipped her head back away from his touch. "Now you've got something to look forward to, Buffy."

She growled, "I'll kill you first," then snapped her head forward as she lurched up, slamming her forehead into Riley's nose. He stumbled back, clutching his bleeding nose as he slumped against the cell door. She tossed her hair and laughed. "That felt good, Riley. Not as good as all the delicious things Spike does to me… for hours and hours… but it'll do for now."

Riley roared and punched her hard, right in the mouth. She flew back across the hall, torn completely out of the grasp of the vampires holding her, and slammed into the wall. She slid down to the floor and rolled over onto her back, still laughing. "Anybody ever tell you that you hit like a girl? Well, not like me… obviously… but yeah… like a girl… who's not me." Her tongue snaked out and licked her lips. "I'm not even bleeding. That's just… sad."

Riley was at her side in an instant, reaching down and tangling his fist into her shirt again. He jerked her to her feet and slammed her into the wall. "Shut up!" He fisted his hand in her hair and wrenched her head to the side, his fangs dropping as he moved toward her. "Let's see how you taste. I hear Slayer blood is an aphrodisiac. I'll have to test that theory when I'm done eating." Buffy started struggling furiously, then stilled as Riley's fangs brushed lightly against the smooth skin just above Spike's mark. Riley chuckled as he lifted his head, "That's right. Hold still and it won't hurt… much." He reached up, tracing his fingers lightly over the skin above the collar. "This is nice, Buffy. Never saw you as a goth girl. New look?"

Buffy growled, "It's Spike's. He put it on me because I belong to him, heart, body, and soul. I love him, Riley."

Riley's demon face screwed into a grin. "Well, well, well. You have changed. You went from being Little Miss High and Mighty Vampire Slayer to being the **possession** of a vampire. I remember you being disgusted because I liked the bite… but you like it too, don't you?" He traced his fingers over the bite on Buffy's neck and she shivered in revulsion. "You filthy little vampire whore. Where else have you let him bite you?" He grabbed her breast roughly through her shirt as his other hand viciously pinched the inside of her thigh. "You want me to fuck you… bite you… you're gonna beg me for it, aren't you?"

Buffy spat in Riley's face, smirking as her saliva dripped down his cheek. "I'll never let you do either of those things, Riley. Never. And the only vampire I'll ever beg to fuck me is **Spike. **At least he knows what to do with it. He makes me scream, he's so good."

Riley snarled and wiped the spittle from his cheek. "Well, he isn't here, is he? And you may not beg me to fuck you, but you'll be begging for something, I guarantee that." He reached for the collar. "You belong to me now… my own little vampire slut… so I'll just take this off." His fingers touched the edge of the collar and he yelped loudly then jumped back, his eyes wide as he shook his hand. The tips of his fingers were smoking and Buffy could smell burnt skin. "What the hell?"

Buffy had no idea what was going on with the collar, but she decided to go with it since it seemed Riley didn't know either. "I told you, I'm his. You can't touch me, Riley. I belong to a Master Vampire and you're nothing more than a fledge. And an amazingly stupid one, apparently. Didn't anyone teach you the rules? Can't you feel it? He marked me, Riley. Claimed me. And he is so gonna dust your ass when he finds out what you've done."

Riley darted forward with a snarl, grabbing for the collar. Buffy didn't move except to tilt her head a little so that he had a clear shot. '_God, I hope this… whatever it is… works.'_ He slipped his fingers under the collar and jerked hard then started howling when his hand burst into flame. He pulled his hand away, waving the flaming appendage wildly in the air as Buffy watched with wide eyes. '_Well…that's kind of… completely awesome.'_


	40. Chapter 40  Raggedy Vampires

Coming Through

Chapter Forty – Raggedy Vampires

Tara squinted and pressed her fingers into her temples as she nodded, then she dropped her hands and looked around the living room at the concerned faces looking back at her. "Oh… that was Spike. He's awake."

Willow laid her hand gently on Tara's arm. "Are you ok? It looked like it hurt."

Tara nodded. "I'm fine. I just had to concentrate because he's all the way on the other side of town. I'm not used to talking to him like that when he's not close."

Dawn shifted on the couch. "So he's in the old Initiative base? And he's ok?"

Tara nodded again as she looked at Dawn. *_Don't say anything, Dawnie. Spike has a plan._* Dawn smirked at her and nodded just enough to let Tara know that she'd heard and understood. Tara leaned back and clasped her hands in her lap. "Yes, and he's ok… ish. He's with Drusilla and she's apparently a prisoner too - they're both chained up in a closet. He said not to worry about them for now, and that we should get Thomas to lead us into the base to find Buffy first."

Xander dropped back down into his chair, "Thomas? Who's Thomas?"

Tara nodded in the direction of the basement door. "One of Drusilla's minions. Spike captured him the other night and we've got him down in the basement. He's… well… uncooperative would be a nice way to put it. Snarling and snapping and trying to kill us all with a look is actually how he is." She looked at Angel. "Spike also wanted me to call you to come up here."

Dawn snorted, "Spike must have been hit in the head one too many times if he **wants** to see Angel."

Tara smirked, "He was pretty happy that you were already here, so maybe he was smacked in the head too hard. Anyway, he wants you to deal with Thomas, something about a familial claim to elevate his status. He wasn't really clear, but he said you'd know what he was talking about."

Angel nodded, "It's rare… I've only heard about it being used a handful of times, and no vampire of my line has ever done it that I'm aware of. Usually if you want a Childe, you make a Childe, you don't elevate a minion, but Spike wants me to elevate Thomas to Childe so he'll be part of the family."

Giles tugged off his glasses, "Why would you do that? What purpose does it serve?"

Angel looked at Giles. "Thomas has a faint loyalty bond with his sire, but because he's a minion, it's not very strong and will fade the longer he's away from her. He has no loyalty to me or any of you, and I can't bring him under my control in the usual way, so there's no other way to get him to help."

Dawn interrupted, "Usual way? What's the usual way?"

"Through fear and intimidation. If I was going to take over a vamp nest instead of making my own minions, the first thing I'd do is dust the first two or three that said anything I didn't like to show my superior strength and intolerance for insolence. It would make them aware of my age and status as a Master Vampire and let them know that if they don't follow my orders, they get dusted. I can't do that with Thomas. I don't have any other vampires to make examples of."

Giles nodded, "I see. So elevating him to Childe will compel him follow your orders?"

Angel nodded, "If he's elevated through a familial claim, his loyalty to our family line would be absolute. He'd do anything that any of the vampires of our line asked of him, even sacrifice himself. And aside from leading us into the base, I'm guessing that Spike wants him made into a Childe so he can take care of Drusilla once we get her out of there. She might try to 'pull rank' on a minion if he tries to tell her what to do… but if Thomas is **my** Childe…"

Xander smiled, "Then he'd outrank her… sort of."

Angel smirked, "He'd actually be almost her equal, since Drusilla is also my get. She'd be above him because of her age, but I can use my Sire bond to order her to obey him."

Xander chuckled, "So… Spike wants you to make her a replacement Spike."

Angel nodded, "Yeah, that's what it sounds like. Spike was the only one that could ever really control Drusilla – without chaining her up – so I figure that whoever's running the show down there couldn't control her at all."

Tara's brow furrowed, "Well, they may not be able to control Drusilla, but they sure control Thomas. We think they've got him on some kind of medication or something. And if it's not that, then he's been conditioned. Will the claim override that? Because if it doesn't then you might as well forget it. He'll never help… and that'll make it harder to rescue Buffy and Spike."

"A familial claim overrides anything… other claims… conditioning… whatever. It's the most powerful claim a vampire can invoke."

Dawn's brow furrowed, "Ok, so you claim Thomas and tell him to take care of Dru, but if Thomas is supposed to follow orders, wouldn't he just do whatever Dru said instead of the other way around?"

Angel shook his head. "As the oldest surviving member of the Aurelian line, anything I tell him supersedes any order from a subordinate family member."

Dawn smiled. "Oh. Cool."

Giles frowned, "I had assumed the plan was to use Thomas to get inside to rescue Buffy and Spike, then dispose of him and Drusilla along with the rest of the vampires."

Tara shook her head, "Spike didn't say anything about dusting Dru or Thomas. From what I understand, they're both included in the rescue and I think it would really hurt Spike if Dru was killed. Why else would he be worried about finding someone to take care of her?"

Giles glared at Tara. "But Drusilla and Thomas don't possess souls as Angel does, or the control that Spike has… Drusilla is quite mad, and I cannot in good conscience allow not only one, but two uncontrolled vampires to be set free."

Dawn got to her feet and threw a snide glare at Giles. "Well, I guess it's lucky for Dru and Thomas that it's not your decision, right, Giles? And we are so not having the soul versus no soul debate right now. **Spike** is Master of Sunnydale so **he** gets to decide what happens here, and if he says that Dru and Thomas get a free pass out of Dustville, then that's that. You don't like it? Move." She stepped to Angel's chair and pulled him to his feet. "Let's get downstairs so you can make Spike a new brother."

Angel chuckled as he followed Dawn out of the room. "Actually, Thomas will be more of an uncle."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "Whatever, Mr. Picky Pants."

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Spike chuckled as he leaned back against the wall. "Well, that'll save us some time, pet. The poof's already in Sunnydale and he's gonna fix up Thomas and get him to help." Spike loved it when a plan came together, especially one he'd thought of on the spur of the moment. Most of his 'well thought out – meticulously detailed' plans were the ones he eventually managed to bugger up somehow, but his 'fly by the seat of your pants – trust your gut' plans were usually the ones that worked out the best.

Drusilla's eyes sparkled and she sat forward, the chains dragging across her shoulders. Shoulders that had already healed somewhat from the Slayer infused blood given freely by her Childe. "My Thomas is coming back to me?"

Spike nodded as his eyes skated over the mark on Drusilla's neck. "Yeah." He sat up and took one of Drusilla's hands in his own. "One thing, pet. I'll do my level best to keep the Slayer from stakin' you, 'cause I know comin' here wasn't your idea, but once you've got your Thomas back, the pair of you need to leave Sunnydale… for good. I mean it, Dru. I'll not have you here eatin' the people I've sworn to protect. And once you've gone you can't come back here… ever. If you do… I'll stake you myself."

Drusilla nodded solemnly, clear lucidity shining from her eyes. "I understand. My Thomas and I will go. I'll leave you with your sunshine." She reached up and cupped Spike's cheek. "I can see how happy she makes you, William. You shine with it. You're beautiful."

Spike smiled, "Ta, poodle," then lifted his arm to her mouth. "Drink a bit more, luv. Need to get a bit more of your strength back in case we need to fight our way out of here. There's no way of knowin' how many minions we'll be facin' and if they're all as strong as Thomas… could make it a tad interesting."

She bit down gently on his arm and pulled several mouthfuls then licked the bite closed and closed her eyes. "So strong. You taste of the sunshine… all warmth and light." She opened her eyes and smiled. "You've tasted her."

Spike could almost see Dru's strength being restored by the power of family blood mixed with Buffy's blood. "Claimed her, pet. We're to be mated."

Drusilla squealed and clapped her hands together. "Wonderful! Shall it be a spring wedding then? Under the stars? Miss Edith will be so pleased!"

Spike chuckled, "Not sure 'bout all that, luv, and not to be rude, but Miss Edith's not invited. She'll be with you – and you won't be here – remember?" He suddenly cocked his head and listened intently then leaned toward Dru and whispered, "Someone's comin'. You feelin' up to a scrap, pet?"

Drusilla nodded gleefully, "The sunshine is in me, Spike, making me strong."

Spike closed his eyes and pushed his pain to the back of his mind again – the little bit of Buffy's blood still in his system was doing its best to heal him and he wasn't hurting quite as much as he had been. Once he'd tamped the pain down as far as it was going to go, he opened his eyes and grinned at Dru, "All right then. Just like Belfast, yeah?"

Drusilla nodded then lay on her side and went unnaturally still. Spike slumped back against the wall and closed his eyes again, whispering with the last of his breath, "Just don't dust 'em 'til we've got the bloody keys." He stayed perfectly motionless as footsteps echoed loudly down the hallway and stopped in front of Drusilla's door.

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*_Buffy?* _

Buffy jerked and almost yelped out loud, but she caught herself in time. *_Tara?* _She could feel the witch's relief flooding her mind as Riley ran out of her cell with his hand on fire.

*_Yes, it's me.*_

_*Is Spike ok?* _The flames were starting to lick at the sleeve of Riley's shirt as he shouted orders to the gaggle of stunned vampires in the hallway.

_*Yes. Are you ok?_*

*_Yeah, but Riley's hand is on fire because he touched my collar._* One of the vampires whipped off his jean jacket and wrapped it around Riley's hand then jumped back as the jacket almost immediately burst into flame. *_Holy crap! One of Riley's minions tried to put out his hand and the jacket caught fire! Why didn't the jacket put the fire out?_*

*_Riley? You mean Riley Finn? He's a vampire and he's on fire?_*

*_Yes and yes. Why didn't the jacket put out the fire?_*

*_The only thing that will put it out is sand._*

Buffy smiled wickedly. *_Thanks for the info. I'll get back to you in a few minutes._* She hopped toward the door and shouted, "Hey! I know how to put out the fire!"

The vampires were dancing around the hallway trying to avoid the burning bits of jean jacket that Riley was flinging every which way. The skinny one that Riley had called Nate jumped toward her and grabbed her roughly by the arms, shouting in her face, "How? Tell me!"

Buffy smirked and slowly shook her head, "Nope. Not 'till you unlock me."

Nathan snarled as his demon came forward, "I'll kill you!"

Buffy shrugged, "Yeah… you could do that, but Riley will just keep burning until he's nothing but a big stupid pile of ash. Your choice."

Nathan growled and looked over at the burning vampire. The flames were starting to creep up his arm and Riley was howling as he beat his hand against the wall, trying in vain to extinguish the fire. Nathan released Buffy with a violent shove and she fell to the floor as he started digging in his pocket. He came up with a small ring of keys and started fumbling for the correct one as he squatted down beside her. He unlocked the shackle on her right wrist then pressed the key ring into her palm and fisted his hand in her shirt. "TELL ME NOW!"

Buffy curled her fingers around the key ring and smirked, "Sand. You need sand."

Nathan bolted to his feet, screaming at the other vampires to get Riley to the garage. Two of them started tugging on his non-burning arm and dragged his howling form down the hallway as Nathan sprinted ahead. Buffy called out good naturedly, "Good luck with that!" then laughed and started flipping through the keys with her thumb. '_What a bunch of morons.' _She tried almost all the keys on the ring before she found the one that unlocked her left wrist, then she found the key that unlocked the shackles on her ankles and stood up, rolling her shoulders. *_Tara?_*

*_Buffy, are you ok? What happened to Riley?_*

Buffy reached behind her and unlocked the chain around her waist, letting it drop to the floor. *_I'm fine. Riley's still on fire and his vamp buddies are trying to find him some sand._*

She felt Tara's giggle bouncing around her head. *_They'd better hurry… the spell I used on the collar is pretty powerful. He doesn't have very long._*

Buffy barked laughter, *_You rock, Tara._ _So…. Explain the whole touching my collar sets vampires on fire thing.*_

_*It only sets them on fire if they touch it with the intent to remove it. Anyone can touch it just to touch it, but only Spike can take it off.*_

*_That's good to know, Tara, and thanks. You know, I hope Riley does find a way to put himself out because I really want to stake the bastard. He raped and turned a teenage girl right in front of me.*_

_*Oh Goddess, Buffy! That's…*_

_*Yeah, I know, and I'm actually thinking that just a staking is too good for Riley. It'll be over too fast.*_

_*Well, if he manages to put himself out, Spike will find him and deal with it… and it won't be fun… for Riley, anyway.*_

_*Good. You said Spike was ok, right?_*

*_Yes… well… not totally. He's been beaten up.* _

Buffy clenched her hands into fists and squeezed her eyes shut. *_And that's just another reason I hope Riley manages to put himself out._ _I want him to pay for hurting my vampire.* _She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. _*Ok… I'm down in the Initiative. Is Spike down here too?_*

*_Yes. He's chained up in a closet somewhere close to you, but I can't tell you which direction to go or anything, sorry._*

Buffy bent down and pulled a stake from her boot then started walking down the hallway, making a mental note to come back and stake the poor girl that Riley had just turned as soon as she figured out how to get the door open. *_No problem, I'll just go find him._*

*_Uh… Buffy?_*

*_Yeah?_*

*_He's with Drusilla._*

Buffy slid to a halt, her chest constricting painfully as she slumped against the wall, *_With? Like **with **with? He's going back to her?_*

Buffy could almost feel Tara shaking her head, *_No! She's a prisoner too and they were put in the same room… er… closet. That's all. I just wanted you to know so you don't freak out when you find them._*

Buffy took a deep, shuddery breath and pushed off the wall, suddenly feeling completely foolish and ashamed that she'd thought Spike would leave her. She smacked herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand and started down the hall again, thinking to herself. '_Spike doesn't leave you, Buffy. You should know that by now.' _ She smacked herself once more for good measure. *_Oh. Ok. So I'm guessing that Spike doesn't want me to dust her, right?_*

*_No… um… Spike has a plan… and it's a doozy._*

*_Plan? What plan?_*

_*It's too much to go into right now, but he's got Angel doing something and when he's done, we'll come help…*_

Buffy's eyes went wide. *_Angel's here? Let me guess… there was some sort of vision involved… and I'm not supposed to know he's here, right?* _

_*No, no visions or anything… Dawn got him to drive her down when you guys didn't pick her up at the airport… you know, because you were a little busy being kidnapped and everything.*_

_*Oh, well…* _Buffy's mind was having a hard time wrapping around something that Tara had said and she couldn't help but blurt it out – not just in her mind, but out loud to the empty hallway. "Wait… Angel's doing something because **Spike** said so? Which one of you is threatening him with a stake to make him do it?"

She felt Tara giggling again. _*Nobody. He actually thought it was a good idea.*_

_*Ok, that's… weird.*_

*_Yes…it is, but he's… cooperating. Which is sort of wigging me out. And he hasn't said anything about you and Spike being together… at all. Again… wigging, but I'm guessing that Dawnie read him the riot act about that on the way up here.* _

Buffy smiled wryly. *_Even if she did… which I can so see her doing, by the way… he'll still say something at some point… I mean, come on… this is Angel we're talking about. His life isn't complete unless he's trying to run mine, and me being with Spike has just got to be getting his undies all in a bunch._*

Tara's giggles bounced around Buffy's brain again. *_Well, if Spike's plan works, then Angel's undies are going to be bunched for a whole different reason, and you and Spike will be the least of his problems. Um… We'll all come down as soon as Angel's done, or I can send you some demons to help if you can't wait. I had Clem round up some of the tougher demons as soon as we knew for sure where Spike was and he has a group ready to move in as soon as I give the word._*

Buffy grinned in anticipation as her Slayer sense told her that there were three vampires headed her way. *_I've got this, Tara. I mean hey… I just killed ten practically unkillable demons… I think I can handle a bunch of raggedy vampires that are severely lacking in the brains department. If I need help, I'll let you know._*


	41. Chapter 41  UnMoldy Vamp

Coming Through

Chapter Forty One – Un-Moldy Vamp

Buffy slipped silently down the hallway, keeping close to the wall as the three vampires closed on her position. She stopped near a corner and pressed back into a recessed doorway, the stake clutched tight in her fist.

The first vampire rounded the corner at a jog and was two steps past her before he registered her presence. The thought that he should stop and turn around had barely started to form in his brain when Buffy's stake slammed into his back. She grinned and watched his dust settle for a second then stepped into the middle of the hallway as the other two vampires rounded the corner and slid to a halt.

She eyed them critically and her face twisted into an angry scowl as she took in the one on the right. She growled – sounding quite a lot like a vampire herself – then took a deep breath and smiled sweetly. "Ok, here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna stake you first…" She pointed to the larger vampire on the left then twirled her stake and pointed it at the vampire on the right. "Then I'm going to take my boyfriend's coat off you before I beat the shit out of you for stealing it in the first place."

She took a step forward and crossed her arms over her chest. "Then I might stake you…" She stopped and tapped the point of her stake thoughtfully on her arm. "Nah… I'll just tie you up and save you for Spike and he'll spend two or three days beating the shit out of you and then **he** might stake you. Might. He loves that coat." She twirled her stake again and smirked. "That sound like a good plan to you guys?"

The vampires looked at each other as they both fell out of game face, then the one wearing Spike's duster slipped out of it and let it drop to the floor before he spun and sprinted down the hallway. Buffy darted forward and buried her stake in the larger vampire's chest while he was busy watching his buddy run away, then she jerked it out, turned, and took aim. She laughed, "Nice try, but… Slayer here... hello. Not gonna let you get away that easy." Her stake rocketed through the air and hit the mark, exploding the fleeing vampire into dust before embedding itself into the wall at the far end of the hallway.

Buffy bent and retrieved Spike's duster then slipped into it and started strolling casually down the hall as she muttered under her breath. "Riley sure sucks at choosing minions. God, how pathetic were they?" Her Slayer sense picked up on another vampire just as she pulled her stake out of the wall and she grinned and started toward it. "Three down, who knows how many to go."

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The hinges squeaked loudly as the door was pushed open. Two vampires stepped carefully into the room, looking warily at the pair on the cot, then Lavelda stepped in behind them and roughly shoved the smaller one out of the way. "He looks like shit." She waved angrily at the bruised and bloodied body of the bleached vampire. "How am I supposed to have any fun with him when he looks like that? He's supposed to look like that when I'm done… not before I start."

As Lavelda's voice grated across his ears, Spike started silently fuming, '_What the bloody hell is she doing here? And what the hell does she mean… **have fun with me**? Like hell. I'm gonna have all the **fun** when I twist her soddin' head off.'_

The smaller vampire looked up at her then glanced fearfully toward Spike and Dru. "We really shouldn't be in here, ma'am. I doubt Master Riley gave permission for this and he'll be angry when he finds out." He started trembling as the memory surfaced in his mind of what had happened the last time Master Riley had been angry with him. His eyes flicked to the doorway and he fervently wished that John had just left him in his tiny cell instead of dragging him down here. He just knew that whatever John and the crazy shape shifter had planned was going to end up being painful for him – and he'd just barely finished healing from the last time.

A dark cloud of fury settled over Spike. '_Fuckin' Captain Cardboard. Should've known. Boy never did have much in the way of brains… and comin' here to try to take me out just proves it.'_

John wrapped a meaty hand around the slender throat of the small vampire and slammed him into the wall by the door. "I don't remember giving you permission to speak, Billy-boy. Besides, Sire and Nathan aren't even here, and I don't think they'll be back." He laughed as he winked at Lavelda, "You should've seen it. Actually you can if you want… I recorded it. Today's the only time that I was ever happy to be on control room duty." He shook his head and let go of Billy as a grin split his face. "That little slayer wasn't scared of Sire at all. She actually managed to set him on fire somehow… something magical, I think… and Nathan took him out in one of the vans to find something to put it out."

Spike barely managed to keep the proud smirk off his face as he thought, '_That's my girl!'_

Lavelda spun and pinned Billy with a glare, "And I don't give a shit what that idiot Riley did or didn't give permission for. He promised me Spike as payment for helping to capture the Slayer, so I'm taking what I'm owed." She jerked Billy over the threshold into the hallway and slammed him into the wall. "So just stand there and keep your mouth shut."

Spike tensed and almost launched himself off the cot, but managed to stop just in time. '_Vel **helped** that wanker, Finn? Bitch led the Slayer right into a trap!' _ His hands curled into tight fists for a second before he forced himself to relax. '_I'm going to kill her… slowly. Oh **so** slowly… and every injury to my Slayer will be visited upon this bitch ten-fold.'_

John stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Looks like this town's under new management, Billy-boy. With Sire and Nathan gone and that one," he nodded over his shoulder at Spike, "going home with Lavelda, I'm the boss now, so you'd better do what I say or all the shit that Sire and Nathan ever did to you? I'll do worse. Got it?"

Billy opened his mouth to answer then snapped it shut at a menacing glare and a snarl from John. Lavelda smiled up at him then pointed to Spike's immobile form. "I can't put him in my car all covered in blood, he'll ruin the leather. Could you have him cleaned up a little for me?"

John nodded and stepped up to the cot. He grasped Spike's wrists and hauled him up, kicking the blanket out of his way, then dragged him over to the hook and hung him up facing the room. "I'll send Billy for some water. How clean do you need him? Just rinsed or do you want him scrubbed down?"

Lavelda grimaced at all the blood covering Spike's pale skin, some of which was starting to dry. "Scrubbed, I think. He's a mess."

John nodded again and gave Billy instructions to bring one bucket of soapy water and one of clear. "And make it quick." He fisted his hand in Billy's shirt and tugged him close, baring his fangs as he hissed in his ear. "Don't even think about crossing me, Billy-boy, or I'll make it hurt… for weeks."

Billy gulped and nodded then stumbled back when John released his shirt. He spun and took off down the hallway at full vampire speed, skidding as he slowed slightly to take the corner.

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Buffy stopped just before the junction in the hallway and waited until the vampire was close then stepped out in front of him. He startled and dropped the two buckets he was carrying as Buffy's hand shot out and wrapped around his throat then pinned him to the wall. She looked at the soapy water puddled around one of the spilled buckets and squeezed the vampire's neck. "What's with the water?"

He shook his head as a look of abject terror settled onto his features. Buffy sighed and set the point of her stake on the spot above his heart. "I don't have time for this so you'd better start talking. I'm not gonna ask again." She moved the stake point just enough to poke through the thin shirt he was wearing then pressed it into his skin.

He shuddered and his look of terror melted into resignation as he opened his mouth and croaked, "Lavelda wants a prisoner cleaned up before she takes him to her house."

Buffy's eyes narrowed in fury. "Lavelda? That bitch is here? Right now?" The vampire nodded and Buffy leaned close. "Where. Is. She?"

The vampire's eyes flicked to the hallway on his right and he rasped out, "The room at the end of that hall."

She loosened her grip on his throat enough to let him breathe. "Is she alone?"

He shook his head. "No, ma'am. There's three vampires with her, but two of them are chained. You should go get help before you go down there, though. The unchained vampire is really big and you're… really not. He'll kill you."

Buffy's eyes widened in shock as she let go of the smallish vampire and backed up a step. "Don't you know who I am?"

He shook his head, "No, ma'am."

Buffy snorted, "I'm the Slayer. Can't you feel me or whatever? You are a vampire, right? You feel like a vamp to me."

"Yes, ma'am, I'm a vampire, but you feel and smell like a normal human." He rubbed at his reddened throat. "Maybe a little stronger than normal…"

Buffy planted her hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him back against the wall. "Don't move."

He nodded and whispered, "Yes, ma'am."

Buffy smirked. *_Tara?_*

_*Buffy? Do you need help?*_

_*No. Just a question. I've got a vamp here that says I feel and smell like a normal human. Any idea why?*_

_*It's a charm I put on the cuffs. The demons were already so agitated; I thought it might help if I masked your Slayerness while you were in the chamber. I didn't activate it until they'd accepted you – so they'd know for sure you really were the Slayer – but being that close to you for hours would've freaked a lot of them out. I should have told you, but with everything else going on, I forgot. I'm sorry, Buffy.*_

Buffy grinned, * _So as long as I have these on, no demons can sense me or tell that I'm the Slayer?*_

_*Yes.*_

_*And if I take them off, does that break the charm?*_

_*No. The charm is attached to the cuffs, so it'll still work when you put them back on.* _

Buffy laughed, *_That's awesome. Thanks, Tara!*_

_*You're not angry that I did a spell on you without your knowledge?*_

Buffy shook her head and the small vampire looked at her curiously. She smiled at him and let her hand drop from his chest. *_No. You did it for a really good reason, and I know you would've told me if you'd remembered, so no big. I know you're not trying to control me or 'fix' me or anything, Tara, and I trust you. I've got to go. I'll let you know what's going on in a little while.*_

_*Ok, Buffy. Be careful.* _

Buffy stepped away from the vampire and crossed her arms over her chest. "What's your name?"

He stammered, "Uh… B..Billy."

Buffy shot him a warm smile. "Ok, Billy, I'm guessing that the two chained vampires down in that room are Spike and Dru, right?" He nodded and Buffy's smile widened as she took a step towards the hallway. "Follow me."

Billy's eyes went wide and he sputtered, "Ma'am?"

Buffy scowled, "Which word didn't you get? I'm cutting you a break here, Billy, but if following me is a problem, I could always just stake you."

Billy shook his head and held up his hands. "No, please don't. I'll do whatever you want, ma'am, I just don't understand."

"Understand what?"

"If you're the Slayer, then why…"

Buffy smirked, "Am I trusting a vampire?" Billy nodded again and Buffy chuckled. "I've had some experience with vampires that don't fit the mold… especially ones named William... and I've got a feeling about you, Billy. You seem very un-moldy." She turned toward the hallway then looked back at Billy. "So…"

Billy stepped away from the wall and fell in behind Buffy.

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Lavelda listened to Billy running pell-mell down the hallway then laughed when she heard him bounce off the wall as he rounded the corner. "You've got him trained."

John turned back to Lavelda with a smirk. "Didn't really take much. He's weak. Freakin' useless vampire. You'd think he was still human the way he acts most of the time. Only reason Sire grabbed him in the first place is because he's a science geek. Once he got over the fact that vampires really exist, it didn't take him very long to figure out all the technical crap about the juice. Sire lost a lot of minions when he first started using the stuff. Too much and it turns them crazy – they'd set themselves on fire or start hacking parts off. Not enough and it makes them so weak they can't even move and their brains turn to mush."

"So why turn him at all? Why not just keep him as a pet or a slave? Most vampire clans usually keep one or two to handle the daylight errands."

"That was Sire's plan, but she," he nodded at Drusilla, "got hold of him and made him her Childe, and let me tell you, Sire was **not** happy about that. You should've seen what he did to her." John shuddered. "It was months before she was even able to speak and he's kept her chained up ever since."

They were both standing with their backs to Spike as they looked at the frail vampire on the cot and didn't notice the suddenly rigid body of her furious Childe as he fought to keep his demon from surfacing. Lavelda glanced back out toward the hallway just as Spike forced himself to go limp, letting all his weight hang from his aching wrists.

Lavelda snorted, "You're shitting me. That little freak is a Childe?" She closed her eyes and her forehead furrowed. "You register as a minion, but you obviously control him." She opened her eyes and focused her gaze on the huge vampire. "I mean, even a vampire of your size should still be taking orders from him. Size doesn't matter in vampire hierarchy… at least it never has as far as I know."

John smirked, "He takes my orders because he's a useless little pussy who's terrified of pain. Hell, he takes orders from everybody. A newly turned fledge could tell him what to do, and Sire never let him have any of the juice, so he's the weakest out of all of us… just the way Sire likes him. He usually can't even walk when Sire's done… and when Sire lets Nathan have him…" John shivered. "I know we can heal from just about anything… but damn. Just glad it's not me, you know?" He nodded back over his shoulder at Spike. "That one got off easy compared to what Nathan usually does to Billy. Least he still has all his 'parts.' Billy's had to grow his back… more than once."

Lavelda smirked as she turned to face what she thought was an unconscious vampire hanging from a hook. "Well, Riley and Nathan may like their playthings weak, but I like mine strong… at least to start out." She reached up and ran her fingertips lightly down Spike's bruised cheek. "He'll be the oldest one I've ever had."

John speculatively eyed her and Spike then walked across the room and poked Spike roughly in the ribs. "He's kinda scrawny."

It took all of Spike's control to keep from flinching as the poke re-cracked a partially healed rib. As it was, it was taking all the willpower he possessed to not vamp out and tear Lavelda from limb to limb with his bare fangs. '_Keys, mate. Need the bloody keys… then I'll kill the bint. Put all of Angelus's lessons to use, I will.' _He desperately wanted to start breathing to try to calm himself and his hands wanted to reflexively clench as Riley's face swam to the surface of his mind. '_First the keys – then Vel – then find that git Finn and...' _

He barely kept himself from smiling wickedly as he started cataloging all the different types of torture he would inflict on poor Mr. Finn… if, of course, he wasn't already a pile of ash. Another rough poke startled him and it was all he could do to hold back a wince and a groan of pain as John poked him for a third time then stepped back and looked him over. "What are you gonna do with him?"

Lavelda smiled evilly. "I have a room in my cellar that has lots of interesting toys and… supplies. I plan to have a lot of fun with him… for a very long time. Vampires last so much longer than humans." She ran her fingers lightly down Spike's chest and stomach, weaving them around streaks of blood and partially healed gashes. "You know, I spent years trying to get him to come with me willingly – they're so much fun when they're willing, but breaking the unwilling can be fun too."

Her fingers came to rest on Spike's low belly, tickling at the edge of his nest of light brown curls and she turned to smile wickedly at John. "He was so hung up on that damn Slayer; he wouldn't even give me the time of day. I tried everything… well not **everything**… I could've shifted, but I didn't know what the little bitch looked like." The air around her started to shimmer and John blinked as the tall dark-haired woman melted into a petite blonde woman. "Now I do." She turned to face Spike and pushed up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "It'll be fun to play with you while I'm wearing this body… make you think it's her hurting you. I can't wait to see the pain of betrayal in your eyes… that's my favorite part… well… one of my favorite parts."

When she lowered herself back to the floor and looked at Spike's face, his eyes were open and he was grinning toothily at something over her shoulder. She heard the thunk-poof sound of a vampire being dusted and spun around, right into the roiling cloud of John's dust. She waved her hands in front of her face as she coughed and choked, then she was slammed into the wall next to Spike by a small hand wrapped around her throat.

Her doppelganger leaned in close and snarled, "You. Are. So. Dead."


	42. Chapter 42  Rulers and Corners

Another great big thanks to everyone that has commented. Even if I don't have time to respond, I do appreciate each and every one.

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Two – Rulers and Corners

Buffy's eyes scanned Spike from fingertips to toes, pausing at each scrape, cut or bruise as they traversed his battered body. On the way back up, they caught on the thick smears of blood on his thighs and she grimaced and jerked her eyes back up to settle on his bruised and bloody face. "Are you ok, Spike?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "God, what did they do to you?"

Spike sent her a warm, reassuring look. "I'm a lot better now that you're here, kitten." He glanced at Lavelda who was still wearing Buffy's face. A face that was slowly turning maroon. "The real you, I mean. And they didn't do anythin' that hasn't happened to me at some point in my long unlife, pet. I'll be just fine. I promise."

Spike's smile and the little wink he tossed her way greatly eased the worry that had been clouding Buffy's mind ever since she'd woken up in that horrid little cell. She took a deep breath and loosened her grip on Lavelda's throat just enough to let her pull in some much needed air. _ 'I don't even have a scratch and he's been beaten to a pulp and he's comforting me! Shit, Buffy, get it together and start acting like the freaking Slayer!' _

She squared her shoulders then smiled over at Spike as she tightened her grip on Lavelda's throat again. "So, Spike… how's it hanging?"

Spike smirked then stretched to lift the chain off the bolt and slumped tiredly against the wall. "Ha bloody ha, Slayer. Couldn't let that one slip by, could you?" Buffy shook her head with a quiet giggle as he held up his shackled wrists. "Could do with some keys, if you would, pet."

Buffy nodded and turned back to Lavelda with a cold glare. "Ok, just let me kill this bitch and I'll get right on that."

Spike shook his head with a quiet chuckle, "Much as I appreciate that sentiment and share it – you can't just yet, kitten."

Buffy's head whipped around and she looked at him incredulously, "Seriously? You want me to **not** kill her? You heard what she was planning to do to you, right?"

Spike smiled, "I want you to kill her, luv, just not yet. Need to do it up proper… ceremony and all that."

Buffy nodded slowly. "Oh… Master and Court stuff." She nodded back over her shoulder at the little bit of John's dust still swirling around in the air. "Sorry I staked that one then… you probably needed him for Court or something, right?"

Spike shook his head. "No. He never swore allegiance to me…" He snarled at Lavelda. "She did though… in front of the whole bleedin' Court as a matter of fact… and to kill her now – while immensely satisfying – would waste a perfect opportunity to make an example of her. Apparently I've been lax 'bout remindin' everyone what happens to demons that cross me."

Lavelda started trembling as Spike's face twisted into a murderous scowl. "Might have to make a week of it… invite the neighboring Courts… put on a bit of a show." His voice dropped to a whisper as his eyes went amber and he hissed through his fangs. "You wanted fun, Vel? I'll show you fun. You'll wish for death a hundred times over 'fore I finally let Buffy finish you off."

Drusilla's laughter rang out through the tiny room. "Naughty demon will get her punishment, she will. Pretty William will cut and slash and be beautiful in his vengeance."

Buffy smiled at Spike as his demon melted away then turned back to Lavelda. "Wow… guess I'm not the only one you pissed off. Looks like you're about to have a very bad rest of your life. Sucks to be you." She jerked Lavelda away from the wall, ignoring her sputtering and choking as she dragged her over to the cot. "Hey Dru, could you hold onto this for a minute?"

Drusilla nodded as she sat up and arranged her chains then held out her hands. "Naughty little demon… you're not the sunshine."

Buffy pushed Lavelda into Dru's waiting arms and stepped back, bending down to slip her stake back into her boot. "Just don't kill her, ok? I get to do that… you know… when Spike's done being all beautifully vengeancy and everything."

Dru nodded and squeezed Lavelda tight as she hissed against her neck. "Take off the sunshine's face, nasty shape shifter. Take it off now." She dragged her fangs along the skin and Lavelda squeaked and started to struggle. Drusilla bit deep and held fast as Lavelda thrashed and screamed, then she ripped her fangs away and spat a mouthful of black blood onto the floor. "Taste horrible, you do." She clapped her hand over Lavelda's mouth and looked over at Spike. "She's not the sunshine, William… tastes nasty… not bright and warm."

Spike smiled over Buffy's shoulder as she stood in front of him trying out different keys. "I know, poodle. Buffy's one of a kind, now be a good girl and don't kill that, yeah? Buffy'd be cross."

Buffy sighed in frustration when none of the keys on the ring that Nathan had given her worked on Spike's manacles. "Shit, Spike. I don't have the right key. Hold on." She moved to the door and pulled a very nervous Billy into the room by the front of his shirt then pointed at Spike. "Where's the keys?"

Billy swallowed heavily; convinced that he was going to end up as a dust cloud on the end of Buffy's stake when she heard what he had to say. "That big vampire had them." He closed his eyes and lowered his head as he whispered, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I should have told you." He braced himself and waited for the killing blow, then raised his head, his eyes opening wide in shock when he heard Buffy move away.

Buffy stepped up in front of Spike and gently clasped his bound hands in hers. "I dusted the keys, Spike. What the hell are we gonna do now? You can't walk with those things around your ankles and I can't carry you and fight at the same time."

Spike shrugged. "No worries, luv. Niblet's in town… she'll get 'em open."

Buffy backed up and looked at Spike. "Dawn? How's she gonna unlock you?"

Spike smiled, "She's the Key, pet. She can unlock anything that uses a key or a combination."

Buffy's eyes went wide. "Since when? I thought all her keyness or whatever went poof when we killed Glory."

Spike shook his head. "Nope. She figured out she still had power the first time she… uh… with a bloke… um… she glowed green, apparently. And we really should talk about this later, all right?" He flicked his eyes to Dru and Lavelda then over to Billy. "Not really a discussion to have in mixed company." He chuckled, "Not really a discussion I care to have ever again, actually. You can talk to your sis 'bout it later… over some ice cream or whatever you birds eat when you're havin' a girly chat. I'll just nip off down the pub and leave you ladies to it, yeah?"

Buffy's eyes went even wider as she nodded slowly. "Oh… sure… right. Little Dawnie is…" She took a deep breath and slipped out of Spike's duster then draped it over his shoulders and buttoned it up. "Well, even if she is all grown up and… doing that, she still doesn't need to see you naked." She glanced over her shoulder at the other three occupants of the room. "Enough people have seen my vampire naked for one day, thank you very much."

Spike leaned his head down and pressed his forehead to Buffy's. "Ta, kitten. Where'd you find my duster, by the way? Dru said some bloke nicked it after I was chained and hung up on that bloody hook."

Buffy shrugged, "I took it off some minion after I got loose." She smiled just a little. "You should have seen it, Spike. I had them so scared they were almost peeing their pants – you know if vampires were able to do that – just from me **telling** them what I was gonna do. The one wearing your coat took it off and ran away. I didn't even get to punch anybody." She snorted. "If the rest of Riley's minions are that pathetic then cleaning this place out will be easy peasy."

Spike shifted slightly, trying to find a position that didn't hurt as his pain started creeping up on him again. "Not all of 'em are pathetic, luv. The ones that worked me over knew what they were doin' and they did it fairly well. Right now I feel just slightly better than I did after my stint with Glory and that's mostly 'cause I've still a bit of your blood in me."

Buffy lifted her hand and placed it lightly on the back of his neck then pressed her lips lightly to his. He growled low in his chest then leaned forward and caught her lips in a deep kiss. When they broke apart, she had tears streaking down her face and he rubbed her cheek with his as he breathed against her ear. "I'll be all right, Buffy. It'll take a lot more than this to do me in." He wriggled his wrists angrily against the manacles. "Just wish I wasn't bloody shackled. Want to hold you."

Buffy stood back and grasped his shoulders then gently turned him so that his back was to the room. She smiled up at him as she unbuttoned the duster then lifted his bound hands far enough that she could duck underneath one arm. She wrapped her arms around his middle and pulled him close as his arms came down to wrap around her as far as the chain would allow. He lowered his head and pressed his cheek against her hair with a sigh. "Much better, but I'm gettin' blood all over you, pet. I'm a right mess."

Buffy shrugged. "Oh well. I've already got **my** blood on me…" Spike squeezed her tighter and she pressed a kiss to his throat. "I'm fine. Already healed. Just saying that these clothes are already ruined and even if they weren't, I don't mind. I'd hug you even if you were covered in demon guts, Spike. I love you."

"Love you too, kitten." He squeezed her just a little tighter, even though the pressure on his ribs made him wince as he murmured against her hair. "Heard 'bout what happened with the collar. Think Finn's ash yet or will I have a chance to stake the sod myself?"

Buffy laughed, "I don't know. I told one of his little groupies how to put out the fire… guess we'll have to wait and see if he managed it." She leaned up and kissed him then ducked out from under his arms and buttoned up the duster before she started gently tugging him over toward the cot. "First things first, we have to get the gang in here so Dawnie can unlock you." She stopped and bit her bottom lip as Spike settled onto the cot with a pained groan. "I don't want to just leave you here again, Spike. You can't fight with your legs all chained up like that… if it was just your hands you'd be ok… shit! I need to dust the rest of the vampires down here and find the freaking door to this place before I do anything else."

Spike shook his head, "No need to worry 'bout findin' the door, luv. Bit and Glinda already know the way in. Just need to clear it out for 'em and Glinda's just told me that Clem's outside with a pile of demons waitin' to do just that…" He caught the look on Buffy's face and laughed, "No… 'course not. You want to take 'em all down yourself, don't you, pet? Bit of a Slayer hunt, yeah?"

Buffy's eyes glinted with anger, "You're damn right. Bunch of stupid vampires come to **our** town and kidnap **my** boyfriend…" She snarled, "They're gonna find out what a huge mistake that was… huge, ginormous mistake."

Billy quietly cleared his throat. "Ma'am?"

Buffy turned to face him and he shyly ducked his head. "What, Billy?"

He stared at the floor in front of his feet. "I can take you to the control room so you can see where all the vampires are, and I can disable the security to make it easier for your friends to get in…" He swallowed heavily and pushed on. "There's also a bunch of humans chained up to be used for food and… other things. I can… uh… I can help you free them if you want… um… before you… um… stake me."

Drusilla clucked her tongue and laughed. "Silly Childe. Mummy's special boy has nothing to fear. Made you for a reason, I did. Sunshine will need you… the pixies sang it to me and the stars painted such lovely pictures. Sunshine won't dust my sweet Billy."

Billy's head flew up and he goggled at Drusilla. "She won't, Sire?"

Buffy shook her head as she turned around and started testing her keys on Drusilla's manacles. "No, I won't. Told you I had a feeling about you." She smiled at Drusilla. "And apparently I'm not the only one… besides…" She smiled at Spike. "I seem to have a soft spot for vampires named William."

Spike chuckled as the manacle on Dru's right wrist unlocked with a faint click. Buffy gently removed it from her abraded skin then wrapped it around Lavelda's wrist and locked it down tight. She unlocked Dru's left arm and secured Lavelda's other wrist. Lavelda glared up at Buffy as Drusilla none too gently pushed the demon off her lap and slid down the cot, placing herself between Lavelda and Spike.

Buffy smiled at Dru as she nodded toward Spike. "Lean over a little." Dru nodded and canted her upper body toward Spike, laying her head on his shoulder as Buffy settled her suddenly furious gaze on Lavelda. "Change. Now."

Lavelda sneered, "Or what?"

Buffy smirked. "Not sure if you've been paying attention, but I'm about to leave you locked up in a room with two Master vampires… sure… one's chained, but I'm sure Dru would be more than happy to help Spike beat on you until I get back. He can still do a lot of damage even with his hands chained together, and they've had over a century to perfect their technique." She leaned down and snarled. "So… change. Now."

Lavelda threw a frightened glance at Spike and Dru then closed her eyes. The air shimmered around her and Buffy's blonde hair and suntanned features changed back to Lavelda's original black hair and pale skin. She opened her eyes and glared up at Buffy. "There. Happy now?"

Buffy smiled, "Yep," then her fist pistoned out and connected solidly with Lavelda's jaw, slamming the back of her head into the wall. She slumped down on the cot with her head hanging off the end and Buffy stood back, flexing her hand. "There. She should be out for a while." She stepped up in front of Spike and held out her arm. "Here Spike, take some."

Spike quirked his scarred eyebrow as Drusilla lifted her head off his shoulder and leaned over to poke the unconscious Lavelda. "Buffy?"

Buffy leaned down and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. "You need to heal, Spike. You've lost a lot of blood and you've fed Dru." His eyes widened and Buffy reached up to trail her fingers gently across his forehead. "I saw the fang marks on your arm."

He squeezed his eyes shut and whispered, "I know I said I'd dust her for you… but I can't, Buffy, I just can't. I'm sorry."

Buffy cupped his jaw and rubbed her thumb lightly across his cheekbone. "And I'm ok with that, Spike. Did you notice the lack of dusting on my part and the whole unlocking of the crazy train vampire instead?" She glanced quickly at Dru. "No offense." Dru shrugged and went back to poking Lavelda.

Spike's eyes opened slowly and he nodded hesitantly as Buffy continued. "She's important to you… I get that, and losing her would hurt you and I'm through hurting you, Spike. You still love her…" Spike's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, but Buffy shushed him before he could speak. "But not like you love me, I know that…" She glanced over at Dru. "And you know it too, don't you?" Drusilla nodded, wearing a faintly sad and wistful expression. Buffy gave her a small smile then turned back to Spike. "I trust you. You love me and you love her… just in different ways. Now…I can tell that you're in a lot of pain so please? I'll feel better about leaving you here if I know that you're healing."

Spike nodded as a single tear dripped from his eye. "I do love you, Buffy; you've no idea how much. And thank you."

Buffy wiped the tear away with her thumb then leaned in and kissed his cheek, murmuring against his skin, "I love you too… and you're welcome." She straightened up and held out her arm again then heard Billy gasp as Spike slipped into demon face and bit gently into her forearm. He pulled four mouthfuls then sealed the bite and leaned back against the wall with a contented sigh. "Can feel it workin' already, luv. Powerful stuff, that."

Buffy leaned down and lightly kissed the corner of his still fangy mouth then stood up. "Good." She stepped across the tiny room, snagging Billy's arm on her way by, then stopped in the doorway. "I'm gonna close this door so if any of the vampires look down this hallway they won't get curious and come in here." She smiled at Dru. "You'll protect my vampire for me if any of them do come in, won't you?"

Drusilla nodded solemnly as she reached over and lightly patted Spike's leg. "Yes. I'll keep care of the sunshine's William… you keep care of Mummy's William." She lifted her hands and made shooing motions. "Now go… the naughty boys are running amuck and need their lessons. Rulers and corners… Sunshine… rulers and corners."


	43. Chapter 43  Sneaky Monkey

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Three – Sneaky Monkey

Billy stood pensively behind Buffy as she peered around the corner. She could feel it on the back of her neck as he stared at her, confusion and awe rolling off him in waves. She took a step back and turned to face him. "What, Billy? What's wigging you out?"

He looked like he'd be blushing if he was able and dropped his eyes to the floor. "Nothing, ma'am. I'm sorry."

Buffy reached out and gently touched his arm. "Billy, look at me." When he'd shyly raised his eyes to hers, she smiled. "My name is Buffy… not ma'am. And you can tell me if something is bothering you. I'm not going to hurt you or stake you or anything, okay? Drusilla may be the Queen of Crazyville, but she was right about that, so please don't be scared of me." He nodded faintly and she watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. "Ok, Billy, can you tell me what's wrong?"

He smiled weakly and raised his eyes just a little more. "Nothing's wrong, ma… Buffy. I've just never seen anyone willingly feed a vampire before."

Buffy grinned and stepped back. "It's not something I've done very often, but Spike needed it and I love him so… there you go. Now, I've dusted three, no, four vampires since I got loose. How many more are down here?"

Billy's brow furrowed as he shook his head. "I don't know. I'm always locked in my cell when I'm not in the lab or the control room – which isn't very often anymore – so I don't know how many Master Riley and Nathan have made since we've been here."

Buffy shrugged. "Oh well. Guess we'll find out. Which way?"

XX

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XX

Angel stepped into the living room followed by a blanket-wrapped Thomas and a smiling Dawn. Thomas had his head lowered as he stopped just behind Angel, clutching the blanket tightly around his shoulders. His silence and submissive posture was a stark contrast to the snarling, thrashing demon that Tara had left down in the cells. Angel motioned to the tall vampire and said quietly, "Everyone, this is Thomas."

The occupants of the room looked over at the large vampire as Dawn moved around him and took a seat on the couch. Angel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and spoke low, "Eyes up, boy."

Thomas raised his eyes off the floor and glanced around the room, startling slightly at the loud gasp from Tara as she jumped to her feet and rushed over to stand in front of him. She reached out and gently grasped his chin, turning his head as she surveyed the damage. His left eye was swollen almost shut and there was a large bruise covering the left side of his face. She turned a furious gaze on the impassive Angel. "What did you do to him? He was almost healed!"

Angel shrugged. "What I had to. The boy has a mouth on him and I needed to remind him of his place."

Tara shot an irritated glance at Angel before turning back to Thomas. "Did you have to remind him so hard?"

Willow looked from the silent Thomas to the glowering Angel and whispered. "You got him to talk?"

Dawn snorted. "Talk? He did a lot more than just talk. I've never heard Angel called so many bad names in a row before… well, except by Spike. There were a few in there I'm gonna have to remember to tell him about… they were pretty good."

Giles pulled off his glasses and started polishing as he asked, "Are we to assume that the claim has been established? Thomas is now your Childe?"

Angel nodded. "He is."

Giles appraised the silent vampire. "And he will be up to the challenge of caring for an insane woman with homicidal tendencies?"

Angel shook his head. "No, he won't. Not yet. For all intents and purposes, he's a fledge… newly risen. He'll have to be trained."

Giles snorted derisively. "And who, may I ask, will conduct this 'training?' Surely Drusilla is not up to the task."

Dawn's spine stiffened as she glared over at Giles. "Spike didn't turn out so bad, Giles."

Angel looked at Thomas and indicated that he should sit, so Thomas sat on the ledge in front of the fireplace… silently. Angel dropped down into his chair and looked at Dawn. "Dru didn't train Spike, I did, and I'll train Thomas. I'm taking both of them back to LA with me. The soul won't let me do a lot of the things I did to Spike as part of his training, but I'll work around it."

Dawn looked like she'd just bitten into a lemon. "And what… exactly… did you do to Spike when you were 'training' him?"

Angel shook his head and muttered, "You don't want to know, Dawn."

Dawn spat, "And now you want to do those same 'I don't want to know' things to Thomas, but your 'soul' won't let you. Oh, you poor thing." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, pointedly not acknowledging the glare Angel was throwing her way.

Tara had resumed her spot on the couch next to Willow and looked over at Thomas with a worried frown. "Do you want to go with Angel?" Thomas looked over at her but didn't answer, even though he looked like he wanted to. Tara shot Angel another irritated glance. "Why won't he talk now?"

Angel shrugged, "Because I haven't given him permission to." He looked at Thomas. "You may speak, boy, but keep a civil tongue in your head or I'll give you another reminder."

Thomas nodded and said quietly, "Yes, Sire." He looked over at Tara, "No, ma'am, I don't want to go, but I have no choice. I'm bound to my Sire and he has complete control of me. What he says, I do."

Giles sputtered, "Is this true, Angel? The claim has made him your slave?"

Angel shook his head. "No, he's not a slave. He is bound to me and he does have to do as I say, but that's only for his protection – until he can take care of himself."

Dawn looked at Thomas. "How long have you been a vampire?"

He answered immediately, "Eight years, miss."

Dawn turned to Angel with a smirk, "I'm pretty sure he can take care of himself by now, Angel."

Angel sighed, "His age is beside the point, Dawn. It's the way familial claims work. I don't have any control over the effects and neither does he. I know he already knows how to hunt and keep himself out of sunlight and away from holy objects, but the claim demands that I take care of him. I can't not do it. He's my responsibility until the claim is satisfied that he's learned all he needs to."

Dawn's smirk was still plastered on her face and actually seemed to be amped up a few notches. "Did you know all this before you did the claim?"

Angel shook his head then nodded slightly, "Yes and no… I knew it, but it's been so long since I was taught about familial claims that I didn't remember most of the ramifications until the claim had taken. I remembered what a familial claim was for and how to do it, but I forgot about all the side effects." He growled low under his breath. "I'm gonna kill Spike."

Dawn laughed and waved her hand dismissively, "No, you're not. You're just pissed because he finally found a way to make you take responsibility. He got you, Angel. He got you good and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it."

Xander looked over at Dawn questioningly, "What the hairy heck are you talking about, Dawn? How does having Angel claim some random vamp make him take responsibility? Responsibility for what?"

"Dru."

Xander looked even more confused as he turned to Angel. "Deadboy? What the hell is she talking about?"

Angel glowered at the nickname then sighed loudly, "I made Drusilla what she is… I destroyed her mind and then I turned her into a vampire. Every person she's killed… and every person that Spike or any of her other childer have killed are all on my head. They're all my fault. I've been avoiding taking responsibility for that ever since I got the soul… blamed everything on Angelus… and Spike's been calling me on it for years and trying to get me to take over caring for Dru, but I kept brushing him off. Now I can't. I have to deal with it… with her. Whether I want to or not."

Xander's brow furrowed, "Ok, I get that you have to keep Thomas around because of the claim or whatever, but what does that have to do with Dru?"

Dawn laughed at Angel's constipated look, "Oh, go ahead and tell them, Angel. It's priceless."

Angel growled and glared at Dawn then pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed loudly… again. "It has to do with Dru because Thomas loves her and they're… mated. So when the claim bound him to me, it also bound his mate to me."

Xander hooted and slapped his thigh, "Spike totally pwned you!"

Dawn laughed, "Yep, he sure did. I wondered why he said we needed Thomas to lead us into the base, considering that Tara and I both helped the demons that cleaned the place up, so we both know how to get in, but then Tara told me about Dru and Thomas being mated and what Angel's claim would do."

Giles was furiously polishing his already sparkling clean lenses as he considered Thomas. He replaced the glasses on his face and leaned forward. "Thomas? Could you turn your head just a bit?" Thomas nodded then turned his head toward Tara just enough to show the bite mark on his neck. Giles pointed at it as he looked questioningly at Angel. "You didn't notice the mating mark on his neck? It's quite obvious, Angel. Even to someone without enhanced vampire vision, although I was unaware that a Master vampire such as Drusilla could mate with a minion."

Angel leaned his head on the back of the chair and stared up at the ceiling. "Master vampires can take anyone they choose as a mate… minions, humans, other demons… doesn't matter. And I didn't see the mark because Thomas was covered in bandages from head to toe… but it wouldn't have mattered if I had, Giles. Drusilla's his sire, so I would expect to see her mark on him." He turned his head and pointed to his own siring mark. "I still have Darla's mark." He closed his eyes and muttered, "Fucking Spike. He knew Dru was mated… and he knew I'd claim Thomas to get Buffy out." His eyes popped open as his head lifted suddenly from the back of the chair then his eyes flashed amber as he pointed an accusing finger at Dawn and Tara. "And you two let him get away with it! You both know how to get into the base… we didn't even need Thomas! Why? Why would you let him do this to me?"

Tara and Dawn shared a look then Tara smiled at Angel. "Because that's what Spike wanted… and in Sunnydale, what Spike wants… Spike gets. Kinda goes along with the whole Master gig." Tara smiled over at Thomas as she chuckled at Angel's indignant sputtering.

Dawn broke in with a chuckle of her own. "And you keep saying how you're all about the redemption and you're a Champion fighting on the side of good and whatever. Well, Dru was one of the worst things you ever did and now you get to make up for some of it, so suck it up, Buttercup. Take responsibility for how your kid turned out and try to do something about it."

Giles said quietly, "You could just stake them both, Angel. That might be for the best."

Angel growled, "No, I can't. Yeah, that would seem to be the easy way out… just stake Dru and be done with her, but the guilt would finish me, Giles. I can already barely stand to look at her, knowing what I did to her and her family before I killed her. Dusting her would just make it worse. Dawn's right, I have to do something about it… try to make up for it somehow." He clenched his hands into fists on the arms of his chair. "And as much as I hate to admit it – as much as I'd love to pound that insolent, disrespectful, bleached pain in my ass into the ground for this – Spike was right to force me take Dru. I'd have never done it otherwise… he knows me too well." His voice dropped to a whisper. "He always has."

XX

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Spike squirmed and scratched his nails across his blood-caked leg. "Soddin' hell, this blood itches! What I wouldn't give for a nice hot shower right about now."

Drusilla poked Lavelda's unconscious form one more time then turned to Spike with an anticipatory grin. "Mummy will lick her kitten all over. Clean you right up, I will. Make you sparkle."

Spike smiled and shook his head as she reached for the top button of his duster. "Thanks for the offer, poodle, but I think that'd be a bit much for the Slayer to deal with at the moment, yeah? She's been gracious about my feelings for you, but somethin' that intimate would probably make her stake hand a bit twitchy. She's a possessive bird." He chuckled, "And I don't sparkle, luv. Real vamp here, not one of those poncy, broody poofters."

Drusilla sighed and dropped her hands then turned back to Lavelda and poked her hard in the side, smiling when she twitched. Spike leaned up and looked over at the unconscious shape shifter then leaned his head back against the wall. "Leave it be, luv. Don't want you wakin' it up just yet." He closed his eyes and listened to see if he could hear what was going on outside their cozy little closet then growled quietly when all he heard was silence. Dru sighed again and leaned back against the wall, folding her hands primly in her lap. Spike cracked an eye and looked over at her. "What'd you mean when you said that Buffy needed Billy? Did you see something, pet?" Drusilla nodded. "Tell me what you saw, luv."

Drusilla sat staring at the wall next to the door for a long time and Spike had just started to wonder if she was going to say anything when her whisper quiet voice broke into the stillness of the room. "Rubies drip drip dripping… splashing on the green. He will take what was meant for her."

Spike's eyebrow went up. "Billy's gonna take a hit meant for the Slayer?"

Drusilla started trembling slightly as she sat forward, her upper body weaving and rocking to a tune only she could hear as she sang in an eerily hollow voice, "Ripping… gaping… drops of ruby becoming a flood. He will come for her… furious black hate filling him up."

Spike sat up quickly, easily recognizing that Dru had slipped into full-on vision mode. '_Guess whatever drugs they had her on have worn off._' He leaned close and kept his voice low and soothing as he whispered, "When, Dru? When's this gonna happen?"

Drusilla's eyes rolled up and her head lolled back as a keening wail emanated from her throat. "The stars will see… but she will not… he'll sneak… sneak… sneaky little monkey will tip tip tip-toe…"

Her voice trailed off as she went limp and fell back against the wall. Spike leaned back and took a deep breath, heartily wishing that his arms weren't pinned inside his treasured duster so he could run his hands through his hair or smoke… anything to calm the trepidation coiling like a snake in his belly. "Bloody hell! Something's after Buffy and I can't do sod all about it!" He thumped his head against the wall in frustration then groaned in pain as the shot to the not completely healed lump on his head made him see stars. "Brilliant plan, you plonker. I'll just knock myself out, shall I? Be a lot of bloody use then." He twisted his wrists violently against the shackles with a growl. *_Tara!_*


	44. Chapter 44  Madam

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Four – Madam

Tara jumped and her hands flew to her head again. *_Spike? What's wrong?*_

*_No time, luv. Send 'em in. All of 'em. Now. Tell Buffy they're comin' and to be on the lookout. She's movin' around down here somewhere, so tell 'em to be careful. Also, the little ginger vamp with her is not to be harmed.*_

_*Are you all right?* _

_*Fine. Just get 'em in here.*_

_*Ok… we're coming.* _She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips into her temples. *_Buffy?_*

*_Yeah?_*

*_Spike told me to send the demons in, so be on the lookout for them.*_

_*Why? What happened?*_

_*He didn't say, but he sounded spooked, so be careful.*_

_*Is he ok?*_

_*Yes.*_

_*Ok, I've got a vampire with me…*_

_*I know and I'll tell the demons to leave him alone. We're coming, be there in a few minutes.* _Tara stood up from the couch. "We have to go. Now. Something's happened and Spike needs us."

Xander, Willow, and Dawn all jumped to their feet and moved toward the weapons cabinet in the corner as Tara pulled out a cell phone and started punching buttons. "Clem? It's a go. Buffy's loose and moving so watch for her. She's also got a red-headed vampire with her that Spike said not to hurt." She paused while Clem was speaking then answered him quickly. "Every other vamp is fair game, except for Spike and Dru, of course. Free any humans you find, but keep them contained until I get there. We're leaving now." She snapped the phone closed and looked at Angel. "You coming?"

Angel nodded and got to his feet then looked over at Thomas. "Stand up, boy." Thomas immediately popped to his feet, clutching the blanket tightly around him as he fell in beside Angel.

Angel was about to say something when Tara held up her hand. "I know. I'll handle it." She stepped up in front of Thomas and closed her eyes as she waved her hands around him and chanted. His eyes widened in wonder as the blanket he was holding melted into jeans and a t-shirt. Tara stopped chanting and looked down at the floor near her feet where a loud thump had just heralded the sudden appearance of an old pair of Spike's boots. She smiled and sent a silent thank you to the small shadow that slipped out the door, unnoticed by the rest of the group.

Thomas followed her gaze then looked back at Tara, seemingly unfazed by the appearance of the boots. "Those won't fit, ma'am." Tara nodded and started chanting again and the boots expanded, becoming wider and longer.

Thomas stepped into them and bent down to tie the laces as Willow watched from across the room. She walked over to Tara and whispered, "You have so got to teach me how to do that!"

Tara nodded distractedly, "Sure… just later, baby, ok?" She looked over everyone in the room, frowning at Giles who remained seated on the couch, a stony expression on his face. "You're not coming?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. I cannot condone…"

Tara held up her hand angrily, "Save it, Giles." She moved toward the open space behind the couch and waved everyone over. "Everyone needs to hold onto me. Willow, I'm gonna need some of your power."

She held out her hand and Willow grasped it fiercely, twining their fingers together tightly. "Anything, baby."

Tara smiled warmly at Willow as the rest of the group moved around her and wrapped their hands around her arms. "Okay. Here we go. Hang on tight, don't want to lose anybody."

Tara threw her head back and called out loudly in a strange language. A cyclone of red smoke formed around the group, roaring loudly as the furniture in the living room started shaking and rattling. The couch started skittering toward them as Tara's voice got louder and Willow gasped and stiffened as she felt the draw on her power. She threw her own head back and her voice joined Tara's as her hair bled white and her eyes went silver.

Just before the couch would have bumped into Xander, the group disappeared with a loud crackling sound, leaving behind the smell of ozone and burning paper. Giles blinked and reached up to straighten his glasses and smooth his hair as he shakily stood up from a couch that was now sitting crookedly with one end crammed up against the weapons cabinet. "Good Lord."

XX

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XX

Clem pocketed his phone and turned to the assembled demons. "We're a go. Watch for the Slayer. She's got a red-headed vampire with her. Do not hurt him… Master Spike's orders. All other vampires except him, Master Spike, and Drusilla are fair game. Gather up any humans you find and bring them here. You, you, and you…" He pointed to three of the smaller demons. "Stay here. Put to sleep any humans we bring up until Tara can deal with them." He nodded to a huge gray demon that looked like he was made of granite. "Okay, Francis, get the door open. It's all you, buddy."

Francis stepped forward with a huge grin on his boulder-like face and punched the door. The thick steel gave a tortured whine, but it held and the grin fell off his face. He clenched his fist tighter and reared back then let loose with a roar that shook the surrounding trees and made several of the more sound sensitive demons clap their hands over their ears. This time, the steel didn't just whine – it screamed – and the hinges gave way. The mangled door fell into the building with a loud clang that echoed down the hallway and Francis smiled again as he bent down and picked it up like it was a piece of tissue paper. He tossed it haphazardly over his shoulder, causing a few demons to scramble out of the way as it left a large gouge in the turf and slid to a stop against the trunk of a tree. Francis grumbled something at Clem then bowed rather gracefully for a demon of his size and waved his arm at the open doorway.

Clem clapped him on the forearm – because his shoulder was too high to reach – then pulled his hand away with a slight wince. "Thanks, Francis. You wanna stay up here and guard the humans? Might be kind of a tight fit for you in there and I know you don't like small spaces."

Francis nodded and grumbled something then stepped back to stand next to the three small demons that were staying behind, towering over them like Vesuvius over Pompeii. Clem nodded at a trio of Brachen demons, their thick green skin bristling with blue spines. "You guys take point and the rest of us will follow. We're after Master Spike, so pay attention to M'rtlag over there. He'll lead us right to him. Let's go!"

The Brachens moved through the door followed by thirty or so demons from a dozen different species. They made quite the picture as the rainbow colored horde moved quickly and quietly down the long, gently sloping hallway. When they reached the bottom, M'rtlag squeaked something and the group took a right at the first intersection they came to.

The first unlucky vampire they came across lasted almost five seconds. He was running down a long corridor and happened to sprint across an intersection just as the Brachens reached it. A blue-spined hand shot out, catching the vampire's arm and spinning him to face the Brachen that reached out and twisted his head off. His dust hadn't even settled when the last member of the group passed through the cloud.

Following M'rtlag's squeaks, they took a handful of lefts and rights and finally reached a large, open room that had a large dented desk sitting in front of a wall of chained up humans. Clem called a halt as the humans started screaming… well, most of them did. The ones that weren't screaming or unconscious just stared in open-mouthed shock at the many different varieties of demons milling around as they waited for orders.

Clem turned to M'rtlag. "Where's Master Spike?" M'rtlag squeaked and nodded off to their right then squeaked something else and pointed to their left. Clem turned to the group. "Ok, Master Spike is down that way and he thinks the Slayer is over there. He says it registers as a female human and a vampire, so I'm guessing it's her. We've also got all these humans to get loose so let's split up." The demons moved apart into three pre-assigned groups and two of them started off in opposite directions, Clem leading the group headed for what he hoped was Buffy.

XX

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XX

Billy tapped away on the keyboard in front of him then triumphantly hit the 'Enter' key and looked up at the security board. All the red lights marking each door on the schematic started turning green in a cascade leading out from the control room. Buffy could hear locks clanking and clicking all down the hallway as she watched several doors pop open from her position in the control room doorway.

A loud clang echoed throughout the entire facility just as Buffy turned toward Billy. She spun back around and poked her head back out into the hallway. "What was that?"

Billy stood and pointed at a large door on the very edge of the schematic. "Sounds like something knocked this door down. Something big. See how the light is flashing? That means the lock was broken. If they'd waited another fifteen seconds the door would've popped open, and if I hadn't just shut down the alarms, they'd be blaring right now."

"That must be Clem and the demons." Buffy grinned and moved over to the bank of monitors. "Good job, Billy. Ok, point me at some vampires. My stake hand is itching for some payback."

Billy moved over to stand beside her and pointed to a monitor that showed a group of three vampires barricading a door with metal bunk beds. He pointed to another monitor showing a different part of the facility and they watched a lone vampire stuff himself into a small cupboard. A large group of demons appeared on yet another monitor and Buffy laughed when a vampire ran right into them and had its head unceremoniously torn from its body. "Is that all of them? God, this is just sad. Oh yeah, Riley… you're an evil mastermind… not. Here I am expecting a big fight and I get four minions. How completely pathetic."

Billy scanned the rest of the monitors then nodded. "Yeah, it looks like those four are the only ones left down here. Some might have run away when Master Riley left, I suppose, or went with him. Hold on." He tapped on the keyboard under the bank of monitors and one screen flashed to the garage. Billy rewound the video then they watched as two vampires pushed a flaming Riley into the back of a van while Nathan climbed into the driver's seat. The flames had passed Riley's elbow and were climbing steadily up his arm and even without sound, they could tell he was howling in agony.

Buffy squinted at the screen as the van doors were slammed shut and it peeled away, leaving three vampires standing in the garage. She tapped the monitor with the tip of her stake. "Those are the three in the bunk room!"

Billy nodded as he continued to pick away at the keyboard. "It looks like nobody left the facility. I've scanned all the door logs and none of the exterior doors have been opened since early this morning when they brought you and Spike in… well… except for the garage door… so yeah, four left."

"Well, I guess that'll have to do." She pointed to the three in the bunk room. "Can you take me there? I'll get them first then go get cupboard boy."

Billy nodded and turned around then yelped and stumbled back against the desk. Buffy spun around, landing in a fighting stance with one fist clenched in front of her and her stake raised and poised to strike.

The large, wrinkly demon yelped and jumped backwards, "Woah! Sorry, Slayer!"

Buffy laughed as she dropped her hands then tucked her stake into the back pocket of her jeans. "God, Clem! We've gotta stop meeting like this! Why can't I sense you? That's twice you've snuck up on me."

Clem reached into his shirt and pulled out a flat oval disc that was engraved with several runes. He held it up by the chain and smiled. "It's a protection charm my Granny made for me. Keeps me hidden from anyone that can sense demons."

Buffy smiled, "Well, that makes me feel better. Thought I was losing my edge."

Billy was trying his very best to make himself invisible as he cowered behind Buffy. She reached behind her and snagged his arm, pulling him to stand next to her. "Clem, this is Billy."

Clem nodded and smiled at Billy as he trembled beside Buffy then he stepped forward and held out his hand. "Hi, Billy, nice to meet you."

Billy tentatively reached out and Clem's large hand swallowed his smaller one in a tight grip. "Um… nice to meet you… uh… too." When Clem released his hand, he edged behind Buffy and peeked at the large demon over her shoulder.

Buffy nodded toward the monitors. "Billy's gonna lead me to a few vampires that need to be dusted, then we can get Spike and Dru and get the hell out of Dodge, okay?"

Clem looked at the monitors and smiled, "You mean those vampires?"

The bunk room monitor showed the bunks that the vampires had piled in front of the door dissolving into a steaming pile of gray sludge that finally melted into the floor and disappeared. Half a dozen demons stepped into the room and looked over at the three vampires cowering in a corner. Buffy shouted indignantly, "Hey! They were mine!" Two of the vampires decided to go down fighting and launched themselves at the demons, swinging wildly at anything within reach, and were summarily dispatched by a pair of demons that shot wooden skewers from the palms of their hands. Buffy smirked, "Well, that's pretty handy… get it? Handy?"

Clem rolled his eyes with a chuckle as the third vampire stepped out of the corner with his hands raised and a look of acceptance on his face. The larger skewer demon stepped close and said something to the vampire then bowed his head and laid his hand on the vampire's chest over his heart. They stood like that for a few minutes then the vampire nodded and the skewer demon looked into his eyes just as he exploded into dust.

The demons turned and exited the room and Buffy watched their progress on the monitors until she could hear them moving down the hallway toward the control room. Billy's hearing had picked them up a lot sooner and he started trembling almost uncontrollably as they got closer, the image of the skewer demon staking the third vampire burned into his brain. He backed away from the bank of monitors and pressed himself into the corner furthest from the door just as one of the demons breached the doorway. It was the larger skewer demon and Billy took one look at him then squeaked and passed out, pitching forward and landing on the floor at Buffy's feet with a thump.

Clem looked down at him in surprise. "What's wrong with him?" He glanced over his shoulder at the demon standing in the doorway wearing a similar look of surprise. "Woozlag isn't going to hurt him. Master Spike said not to."

Buffy looked down at the unconscious vampire with a sheepish smile. "Yeah…uh… Tara told me that… but I kinda forgot to tell Billy." She nodded at Woozlag. "What did you say to that vampire before you staked him?"

Woozlag bowed respectfully then spoke in a low, strong voice. "I congratulated him on his choice to accept his fate and die with honor, Madam Slayer."

Buffy smirked and looked over at Clem. "Madam? I'm a madam now?"

Clem smiled, "You're Master Spike's Claimed, but you're not mated yet. When you are, you'll be called Mistress."

Buffy nodded slowly. "Oh…" She nodded toward Woozlag's hand. "You have the perfect weapon for dusting vampires right there in your hand. Do your people naturally fight vampires?"

Woozlag shook his head. "No, Madam. My people are generally peaceful; we only fight to defend our homes and families." He smiled, "And when called upon to assist our Master."

Buffy nodded again and smiled at Woozlag. "Thank you, Woozlag. Your help is appreciated."

He bowed again then motioned toward Billy. "Would you like me to carry him, Madam?"

Buffy shook her head, "Thanks, but I don't think that would be a good idea. He's already pretty freaked and if he woke up while you were carrying him I think he'd be the first vampire in history to dust from fright. I'm the only one he's even a little bit comfortable with, so I'll carry him." She nodded over her shoulder toward the monitors, "There was one more vamp…"

Clem smiled, "Gone. M'rtlag's group got him already. They've reached Master Spike and they're taking him to the surface." Just then a loud chirping noise sounded from Clem's pocket and he pulled out his phone. "Tara's here."

Buffy nodded and turned toward the door. "Good. I'm so ready to get out of here." She bent down and hefted Billy over her shoulder then took two steps and stopped suddenly. "Crap!"

Clem looked at her quizzically. "Something wrong?"

Buffy turned back to the monitors, searching for the one that showed the row of cells she'd been held on. "Riley turned a teenage girl in the cell across from mine. I need to go handle it before she wakes up and finds her way out of here."

Woozlag snapped his fingers and a small yellow demon materialized at his side. "Can you track one that has not completely turned?" The yellow demon nodded and squeaked and Woozlag turned to Buffy. "We will find her and take care of it, Madam."

Buffy nodded gratefully, "Thank you both. I so did not want to have to deal with that… but… it's part of the Slayer job description. I usually wait until they wake up though, so I'm not even sure what to do with one that's not… done."

Woozlag grimaced slightly. "I'll have to remove her head, Madam. It's the only way."

Buffy swallowed heavily as she pictured the girl's face in her mind then she slid Billy gently to the floor and stepped up in front of Woozlag, pulling the startled demon into a hug. "Thank you so much. I don't think I could do that… I had to watch her die and I couldn't help her and I don't think I could handle…" She took a deep breath and squeezed the demon a little harder. "I just want you to know how much it means to me that you're taking care of it."

Woozlag automatically patted her on the back then froze and shot Clem a pleading look as he said in a shaky voice, "You're very welcome, Madam. I am here to serve."

Clem cleared his throat and Buffy let Woozlag go, much to his relief, and turned to face Clem. "Clem? What's wrong?"

He smiled and motioned for her to follow him to a quiet corner of the room then leaned down and whispered, "Woozlag's nervous because he knows that Spike will be angry about him touching you. It's not allowed."

Buffy's eyes went wide. "Oh! Oh crap. Uh… Spike didn't tell me what I'm supposed to do outside the chamber."

Clem smiled. "You can do whatever you want, Buffy, it's got nothing to do with Court. It's because Spike's Claimed you."

Buffy's brow furrowed. "I don't get it."

Clem chuckled. "Any demon knows that touching a Master Vampire's Claimed will royally piss him off… and bad things happen to demons that piss Spike off."

Buffy smiled in understanding, "Oh… right. Gotcha." She turned and headed back toward the monitors. Woozlag was still standing just inside the door, watching her warily as she approached. She stopped a few feet from him and smiled reassuringly. "Sorry about the hugging thing, Woozlag. I'm a little new to the whole belonging to a Master Vampire deal, so if Spike gets mad, I'll tell him it was my fault, ok?"

Woozlag nodded then bowed again. "Thank you, Madam Slayer."

The whole bowing thing was really starting to make Buffy uncomfortable, but she shrugged inwardly and stood up a little straighter. '_This is part of the whole Spike being Master deal, and if I'm going to be with him, especially as his mate, I guess I'm gonna have to get used to it. Still weird, though.' _

Woozlag's voice brought Buffy out of her thoughts as he asked, "With your permission, Madam, we'll go take care of that girl now." Buffy nodded and he pushed the small yellow demon through the door then stepped quickly through behind him, eager to get away from Buffy before she tried to hug him again. He'd seen firsthand what kind of violence Master Spike was capable of and he really didn't want the full brunt of the vampire's fury aimed at him, especially after the events of this day. He knew that he was already in for some pain – most likely death – regardless of any explanations that Madam Slayer offered, but hopefully doing this deed in her stead would lessen Master Spike's wrath. It was a long shot, knowing Master Spike's volatile temper, not to mention the fact that said temper was most likely on a hair trigger at the moment. He just sincerely hoped that witnessing his punishment – however things turned out – wouldn't upset Madam Slayer too much. He really liked her.


	45. Chapter 45  Trippy

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Five – Trippy

Buffy followed Clem through the doorway into the cool night air and took a deep breath then glanced around the clearing at the various demons scattered around in small groups. A few were tending to the naked, unconscious humans, wrestling them into hospital gowns and wiping blood from wounds that the witches had already healed.

Willow and Tara were presently kneeling on either side of a tiny girl that couldn't have been more than fourteen, chanting and smoothing their hands over several sets of vicious fang marks on the girl's torso. Buffy grimaced as she watched the wounds seal themselves under their expert ministrations then smiled when they finished and Tara looked up, catching her eye. Tara nodded over her shoulder and Buffy followed her gaze, spying Spike at the edge of the clearing next to a demon that looked a lot like the boulder Spike was sitting on.

She moved quickly across the clearing, skirting the rows of humans and a few clustered groups of demons, then slid Billy gently to the grass next to the boulder demon. The boulder demon looked down at her quizzically… or at least she thought that's what he was doing; it was kind of hard to tell with the whole boulderness of his face. She tilted her head, showing him the collar and Spike's mark and he stepped back, allowing her to finally get a good look at Spike.

He was watching the activity in the clearing intently, pointing and giving instruction when needed, and Buffy stood still for a second to look him over. He was wearing his duster properly now, with his arms through the sleeves instead of having it draped around him, so Dawn had apparently already done her Key mojo on his shackles. His thin, bare feet were peeking out of the bottom as they rested in the tall grass at the base of the boulder. The moonlight was shining off the patches of pale skin visible through the dried blood and all Buffy could think was that with his duster buttoned up and without his heavy, clunky boots, Spike looked… strangely vulnerable.

She shook her head then stepped up in front of him and smiled, "Hey, looks like you've got things under control." Spike reached out and wordlessly swept her into his arms, pulling her against his chest as his lips settled hard against hers. He teased her mouth open, their tongues dueling and sliding against one another in a fierce kiss that left them both panting, then his lips traveled down her neck and latched onto his Claim mark with an intensity that sent a bolt of white hot pleasure rocketing through her. His arms held her tight, like bands of steel wrapped around her body, and Buffy wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him hard, whispering against his leather covered shoulder. "What's wrong, Spike? You're starting to freak me out a little."

He squeezed her tighter, making it a little hard to breathe as he murmured against her neck, only relinquishing his hold on his mark long enough to say, "Dru's had a vision. Something's comin' for you, Buffy."

Buffy relaxed into his embrace and let him squeeze her just as hard as he wanted, trying to reassure him that she was here and she was fine. "And that's why you sent the demons in?"

He nodded, finally raising his head so he could look her in the eye. "Yeah. Dru couldn't tell me when and it was drivin' me batty just sittin' there all trussed up and not able to do a bleedin' thing."

She leaned close and nibbled on one of the few blood-free spots on his neck. "I'm ok, Spike, really. And whatever's coming, we'll handle it together, all right?"

He buried his face in her neck as his fingers gripped the leather of her jacket, making it creak under the strain. "Don't wanna lose you, kitten. Couldn't bear it. Not again."

Buffy whispered, "And she's always right? The things she sees always happen?"

Spike nodded miserably, "Yeah… haven't known her visions to be wrong yet. Every one she's had in the last century plus that I could make heads or tails of have all happened, just as she said."

"We'll handle it, Spike." She placed her hands on either side of his head and lifted it so she could lean in for a quick kiss. "I mean, how many times did you try to kill me? And if one of the best fighters I've ever seen couldn't do it then…"

Spike closed his eyes, his face twisted up in pain. "But I did kill you, luv. You had to jump off that bloody tower 'cause I wasn't fast enough… wasn't clever enough. It was my fault you died."

Buffy's voice was quiet, but Spike could still hear the steel behind her words. "No. It wasn't. You did everything you could, Spike. It was Glory's fault, not yours… never yours, and if I've ever made you feel like it was then I'm sorry." She stood quietly until he opened his eyes then she smiled. "And Dru didn't say it was another Hell God after me, did she?"

He shook his head. "Well… no… but…"

Buffy leaned in for a quick kiss. "But nothing. We'll deal, Spike. That's what we do." He smiled faintly and Buffy turned her head and looked around the clearing. "Where is Dru?"

Spike loosened his hold on her just enough to let her turn in his arms and lean back against his chest. "Peaches took her and her bloke to the mansion. All the bleedin' humans were startin' to make their fangs itch with wantin' to feed."

"What about the bitch?"

Spike chuckled, "Vel? She's also on her way to the mansion in the company of three rather large demons. She'll be trussed up and tossed into a cell in the basement 'til I can get the logistics sorted for the ceremony."

Buffy nodded as she looked at the forty or so humans laid out in four straight lines across the center of the clearing. Most of them had been dressed in hospital gowns, and aside from looking a little disheveled, they all appeared to be sleeping peacefully. "What are we gonna do with them? How are we gonna explain what's happened?"

Spike murmured against her neck, "We're not. They'll all be carted to hospital and left to wake up with no memory of how they came to be there or their time spent as Finn's prisoners."

"You're taking their memories? How?"

Spike pointed to a trio of tall demons that looked like bundles of sticks wrapped in long, flowing robes. They were moving among the humans and lightly touching their fingertips to the human's foreheads. Their fingertips would glow a faint red for a few seconds as the human's eyeballs twitched under closed lids, then the demon would lift its hand away and touch its own forehead before moving to the next human. "They're absorbing all the memories of Sunnydale and Finn and the rest of it. The ones that were in the worst shape have been down there for months, and apparently that soddin' wanker doesn't take very good care of his toys. There were a few that would've died if they'd been down there even a day longer. Some of the others were captured only a few hours before we were."

Buffy's hands clenched into fists. "God, Spike, I so hope that Riley isn't ash. If he isn't, and we can find him, can you put him next to Lavelda for your ceremony or whatever? And maybe make it last a lot longer than a week? I'm thinking a couple of months… or however long he kept those people prisoner. And then maybe a little longer."

Spike chuckled. "Great minds think alike, kitten. I'm sure somethin' could be arranged."

She grimaced as she looked at the youngest humans. "Some of them are barely even teenagers! God! All I can see when I look at them is Dawnie." Her eyes flitted around the clearing. "Where is Dawn? Didn't she come with Tara?"

Spike nodded. "She did, but she went with Xan to get some transportation for the humans." He smirked. "I'd rather have a one-eyed bloke with absolutely no depth perception drivin' whatever it is back here than let your sis do it. She drives just like you do."

Buffy yelped, "Hey! I don't drive that bad!"

Spike chuckled. "Yeah, you do."

Buffy laughed and was turning her head to nuzzle against Spike's neck when she noticed Woozlag emerge from the corridor followed by the small yellow demon. The little demon veered away quickly, throwing nervous glances at Woozlag as he plodded slowly toward Spike, his eyes downcast and his hands extended in front of him, palms up in supplication. Spike watched him approach until he was about eight feet away then he growled loudly and Woozlag stopped and dropped to his knees, keeping his head bowed as he let his hands fall to his sides.

Buffy turned her head and leaned up to whisper in Spike's ear. "What's Woozlag doing?"

Spike leaned back and quirked his scarred eyebrow at her then held his finger up to his lips. He motioned Tara over and looked at her intently, obviously asking her something in his head. Tara nodded and bent down, touching the grass at their feet with her fingertips then moving her arm in large circles as she stood. She lightly touched first Spike's throat and then Buffy's before she bent and touched the grass at their feet again. She backed up with a nod and went back to the row of humans, continuing where she had left off.

Spike lifted Buffy away from his chest and turned her to face him. "We can speak freely, pet. Glinda's put us behind a glamour so nobody else can hear us or see us for a bit. Now, how do you know this demon?"

"First tell me why he's kneeling like that."

Spike glanced at Woozlag then looked at Buffy. "He's done something… something I won't be happy about and he's waiting for his punishment. How do you know him?"

Buffy squeezed her eyes shut and whispered. "Riley turned a girl right in front of me and left her in the cell across from mine. I was going to go back down there and stake her…"

"Stakin' won't work if they're not fully turned, pet. You'd have to tear her head off."

Buffy nodded, "I know. Woozlag told me after he offered to handle it for me." She swallowed heavily and opened her eyes. "I know what he thinks he did, but it wasn't his fault, Spike. I hugged him because I was grateful that I didn't have to… God, I'll stake a vampire or kill a demon because that's my job, but I can't do that. I can't t..tear the h..head off some girl. I just can't. So I hugged him because he was gonna do it for me. I didn't know about the whole not touching me thing until Clem told me, but by then it was too late. It's really not his fault, Spike."

Spike considered her explanation for a minute or so then his brow furrowed. "You can hug whomever you like, but if that was all that'd happened he wouldn't be in front of me right now, pet. Did he touch you at all, even in the tiniest way?"

Buffy thought back, closing her eyes in concentration. "He might have patted me on the back like twice… maybe three times. I'm not really sure."

Spike nodded with a sigh, "Then that's it. He touched you and now I have to deal with it."

Buffy looked anxiously at Woozlag. "Can't you just… I don't know… let him off with a warning or something? It's really not his fault. If I hadn't hugged him…"

Spike shook his head. "No. I have to administer punishment, kitten. I don't have a choice. He knows it and every other demon here knows it and if I let it go, it sets a precedent." He chuckled somewhat bitterly, "You'd think being Master would mean that I was free to do whatever I please, but I'm bound by more rules and laws and customs than the demons I rule over, luv. There are some things I can tweak to my liking, but this isn't one of 'em and if I don't do what's expected then the demons will start to lose faith in my leadership…"

Buffy finished in a whisper, "And then much badness will ensue, and we'll be back to researching the big bad of the week and trying to stop an apocalypse at least once a year, right?"

Spike nodded and pulled her close, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Right. So I've got to do this even though I don't want to. I'll be as easy on him as I can, pet, but we're demons and what might seem harsh to you isn't much of anything to us, so I need you to stay calm, no matter what happens, all right?"

Buffy clutched him close and nodded against his neck. "I'm sorry, Spike. You know, we're really gonna have to make time for you to tell me all these rules so I don't do something like this again. I don't want anybody getting hurt or you having to hurt them because I did something stupid." She leaned back and looked up at Spike in horror. "Does the whole not touching me thing mean that Wils and Dawn and Xan and Tara can't touch me either? If they hug me, do you have to punish them too?"

Spike shook his head, "No, kitten. They're your family and mine. And they're human… mostly. That rule only applies to demons, luv."

"So what about Billy? I carried him all the way out here, and I'm pretty sure he's touched me once or twice. Are you gonna have to punish him, too?"

Spike shook his head again, "No, he can touch you 'cause he's family." He growled in frustration. "Complex, Buffy. All these rules and laws and whatnot are mind-numbingly complex and convoluted and just plain buggerin' annoying." He took a deep breath and glanced over at the still unconscious Billy. "We'll go over 'em, Buffy, just not now, all right?" At Buffy's nod, he cut his eyes to Billy again. "So, what's happened to our little ginger vamp? Why's he out cold?"

Buffy giggled quietly and nodded toward Woozlag. "I kinda forgot to tell Billy that none of the demons storming the place were going to hurt him. We'd just watched Woozlag dust a couple of Riley's minions with his hand skewer things and when he came into the control room, Billy just passed out."

Spike nodded, "Understandable, considerin' what Finn and that Nathan bloke have done to the poor sod."

Buffy looked from Spike to Billy, worry etched into her features. "What did they do to him?"

Spike closed his eyes. "Don't have all the details, but I'm bettin' it wasn't pleasant, and the few details I do have you don't want to hear about, kitten. You really don't." He squeezed her tight then let her go and opened his eyes as he stood up from the boulder. "Better get on with this." He gently moved Buffy over to stand next to the huge boulder demon. "You stay right here next to Francis, no matter what happens. Promise me, kitten."

Buffy looked up warily at the boulder demon as her mouth formed the incredulous, "Francis? His name is Francis? Was he named after the country? Because he's almost big enough to be one."

Spike chuckled and shook his head. "He's a decent bloke, Buffy. Just stay near him, yeah? I'm 'bout to release Glinda's spell, so I need you to stay quiet 'till this is done."

Buffy nodded. "Ok. I wish I could tell Woozlag that I'm sorry, but that's probably not allowed either, is it?"

"No, it's not… at least not here. You need to show indifference to what's gonna happen, or it'll diminish him in the eyes of the other demons. He's showin' strength by comin' to me to admit his transgression 'stead of me findin' out about it some other way, and if you plead his case or get upset when I punish him…"

"Then he loses that strength. Got it." Buffy's cold, calculating Slayer mask slipped slowly over her features as she crossed her arms over her chest and stood silently.

Spike shivered slightly at the look in her eye… a look he was intimately familiar with as it had been directed at him on more than one occasion. It said, 'I'm the Slayer… don't fuck with me.' He smiled at his girl's backbone and seemingly infinite strength as he turned to face Woozlag. He was about to end the glamour when he remembered something and turned back to Buffy. Ignoring her questioning glance, he wrapped his hand around her arm and started gently guiding her back over to the boulder they'd been sitting on. He sat down and pulled her back to lean against his chest then murmured, "We should probably be in our original position or close to it when I release the glamour."

Buffy nodded and looked out over the clearing at all the demons who were paying them absolutely no attention whatsoever. "What does everybody think we've been doing all this time?"

Spike shrugged. "Sittin' here. The glamour basically took a snap of what we were doin' and has been replayin' it."

Buffy looked slightly embarrassed. "So they all think that we've just been ignoring Woozlag?"

Spike shook his head. "No, they think **I've** been ignorin' him, Buffy. I'm Master… I deal with the demons under my control at my leisure, so as far as they're concerned, I've been sittin' here contemplatin' his punishment. I could leave him in that position for days if I like. I could get up and go home and he wouldn't move 'til I came back and gave him leave."

Buffy nodded. "Ok. Release the glamour and let's get this show on the road. I'm sure Woozlag wants it over with just as much as we do."

"Right you are, luv. When I nudge you, move over by Francis and put that look back on your face… the one that makes Hell Gods wet their knickers." Buffy giggled and pressed back into him slightly then turned her head and planted a light kiss on his neck. Spike squeezed her and murmured into her hair. "Here we go."

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers; the sound it made seeming extremely loud in what Buffy had just realized had been complete silence. The noise from the clearing suddenly rushed to fill the space as the glamour dissipated and Buffy jerked slightly in surprise. "Woah. That was trippy." Spike nudged her and she stood and moved away from him, her Slayer mask slipping back into place as she took position next to Francis. He shifted slightly and the tremors from his small movement skittered up Buffy's legs as Spike stood up from the boulder and stretched to his full height.

He took three steps toward where Woozlag was kneeling then stopped, his gaze traveling around the clearing and silently calling everyone's attention. Buffy watched in awe as every demon in the clearing stopped what they were doing and turned to face Spike. Buffy's gaze finally settled on him and she had to hold in a gasp. He didn't look vulnerable anymore. Even without his boots and with his duster buttoned up instead of swinging free – he was every inch a Master Vampire. An apparently supremely pissed off Master Vampire. The blood on his face and in his hair just made his look of fury even more frightening as dead silence settled over the clearing. Even the breeze stopped blowing and the rattling noise of bare, twitching tree limbs petered away to nothing as Spike took another step forward.


	46. Chapter 46  Demons Are Weird

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Six – Demons Are Weird

Spike looked down at the demon kneeling at his feet and said quietly as he slid into game face, "Woozlag of the Taglit Clan… you come before me begging for punishment?" Woozlag nodded, but didn't lift his eyes from the grass in front of his knees. "For what infraction? What crime brings you to kneel at my feet?"

Woozlag's deep rumbling voice echoed throughout the clearing. "I have touched your Claimed, Master Spike."

Spike glanced over at Buffy then gazed around the clearing, catching each set of demon eyes with his own before his gaze settled on Woozlag again. "And you understand that the punishment for this is usually death?"

Buffy barely held in the shout and struggled to keep her face impassive and unconcerned as Woozlag nodded and said clearly, "Yes, Master Spike. I understand." She noticed a small movement from Tara out of the corner of her eye and glanced over just in time to see Tara clamp her hand down tight on Willow's arm and slightly shake her head. Tara stared into Willow's eyes and finally Willow nodded slightly and turned back to watch Spike.

Spike took a step closer. "I understand that you have done something for my Slayer, my Claimed, to lessen her burden. And you have done it without thought of gaining my favor; your only desire to serve and respect her. Is this true?"

Woozlag nodded. "Yes, Master Spike."

Spike's left hand clenched into a fist. "That act will spare you death, Woozlag, but I cannot let your crime go unpunished." Woozlag nodded, relief flickering across his features for a second before he lifted his chin just a little to give Spike a clear shot. Spike suddenly voiced a full-throated roar, "The Slayer is MINE!" On the word 'mine,' Spike's fist slammed into Woozlag's cheek, sending him crashing to the ground. Spike waited while Woozlag maneuvered himself back to a kneeling position then backhanded him across the other cheek with a roar of, "No one TOUCHES her!"

Woozlag crashed to the ground again then pulled himself into a kneeling position and waited for the next blow. Spike hit him several more times, roaring each time that Buffy was his. Knowing Spike's fighting style as well as she did, she could tell that he was pulling his punches, but Woozlag still reeled from each strike and had to struggle to get back to his knees after each vicious blow.

After the eighth punch, Spike stepped back, leaving Woozlag lying dazed on the ground as he looked over the clearing, once again catching the eyes of every demon present. He pulled up to his full height, squaring his shoulders as his fangs glinted in the moonlight, and his cold, quiet voice drove the point home harder than his loudest roar. "The Slayer is MINE. I hope this display has made that fact abundantly clear. Spread the word. Let every demon in Sunnydale know that the next one to lay a hand or fang or claw on her will beg for death. For days."

Spike spun – the action not quite as dramatic without the flaring of his duster – and strode back to the boulder. He turned and leaned back against it as his demon melted away then he nodded to Tara. She got quickly to her feet and moved over to kneel next to Woozlag, assessing the damage as the rest of the demons quietly resumed their earlier tasks. Buffy watched her for a few minutes, determined to remain impassive, but the guilt over the fact that Woozlag was hurt because of something she'd done finally got the better of her and she whispered quietly in her head, *_Is he ok?*_

Tara didn't nod or do anything that would give away the conversation as she responded. *_Yes. His species is very hard to hurt and Spike wasn't hitting him as hard as he could have. He's mostly just bruised.*_

_*Are you sure? Even though he was pulling his punches, it looked like Spike was hurting him a lot.*_

A very small smile flitted across Tara's face. *_I think Woozy's playing possum just a little. I've seen him take harder hits than that with barely a flinch, so I think he knew what Spike was up to and was playing to the crowd.* _

Tara poked him lightly in the side and Woozlag's puffy left eye opened just a fraction and settled on Buffy. She smiled and felt her tension ease quite a bit at the quick wink he gave her before his eye slipped shut and he surrendered himself to Tara's healing spell.

Buffy walked slowly over to Spike and leaned back against him, turning her head to lay a gentle kiss just below his ear as she whispered, "I love you, Spike. Thank you for not hurting him very much."

Spike nodded and wrapped his arms around her with a quiet chuckle. "Woozy's quite the actor, isn't he, luv? You'd think I was hittin' him with a troll hammer the way he was flailin' about."

Buffy pressed a little closer and whispered, "How'd he know you weren't really out to hurt him?"

Spike chuckled again, "We've sparred, pet, so he knows how hard I can hit, even when I'm not fueled by Slayer blood. He wasn't sure of my intentions until that first punch, but he cottoned on right quick."

Buffy glanced back over at Tara who was helping a shaky Woozlag to his feet. He dipped his head toward Spike then moved away toward the Initiative entrance, taking up a position just outside the doorway. Several demons bowed their heads in respect as he passed and Spike chuckled under his breath. "Takin' a beatin' from the Master just moved him up several tall notches in everyone's estimation, and even though it would seem to be the opposite, you huggin' him is probably the best thing that's happened to him in a while."

Buffy turned an incredulous gaze on Spike as her lips twitched up into a smile. "Demons are weird, Spike. Worlds of weird."

Spike laughed and darted forward to plant a quick kiss on her smiling mouth. "That we are, luv, that we are."

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"Is that the last one?"

Tara looked over her shoulder at the clearing then turned and nodded. "Yes." She climbed the rest of the way into the large school bus and sank down tiredly onto the seat behind Xander. Willow reached out and clasped Tara's hand and she shot Willow a weary smile as she said, "To the hospital, Jeeves."

Xander chuckled as he closed the doors. "Ha ha, witchy woman." He put the bus in gear and slowly drove out of the clearing, trying to keep the bumping and jarring to a minimum as they traversed the rough ground. "You know, I was a chauffeur once for like a week, but I've never been a bus driver. It's not that bad."

Just then the back wheels bounced over a log and there were several yelps from the rear of the bus, Dawn's being the loudest. "Hey! Watch it, Patch Boy!"

"Bite me, Key Girl!"

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Buffy watched the bus roll slowly out of the clearing as she waved at Dawn again then turned to Spike. "So now what?" The demons were slowly filtering out of the clearing, disappearing into the trees in all different directions, except for Francis. He still stood next to Spike, but he'd moved so that he was standing over Billy, his massive feet set protectively on either side of the small vampire, shielding him almost entirely from view.

Spike stretched as he stood up from the boulder he'd been lounging against while the humans were being loaded. "We go home, Slayer. Nothin' more to be done tonight, 'sides, it'll be daylight in 'bout thirty minutes. Time for all good little vamps to be abed." He nodded to Francis who stepped back and gently scooped Billy up from the ground, taking more than a little ground with him. He transferred the vampire to his other hand and shook the large clods of dirt and grass out of his palm, then carefully straightened Billy out, curling his fingers around his inert form.

Buffy looked out over the expanse of woods that separated them from the house, not looking forward to the jogging they'd have to do to get Spike under cover before the sun came up, especially if they didn't want to make the last half of the trek through the sewers. She was tired to her bones and just wanted to sink down into his nice, soft bed and sleep for a week. She stepped across the clearing and took Spike's hand, tugging him in the direction of the house. "Well, let's get moving. Don't want my vampire to be a crispy critter and we've got a lot of ground to cover. Is Francis gonna be able to keep up?"

Spike pulled back then nodded in a different direction when she turned to look at him. "Mansion's that way, luv. 'Bout ten minutes at a slow walk."

Buffy followed him when he started out of the clearing, only whining a little bit. "But I don't want to sleep in some musty old room, Spike. Can't we just go home?"

Spike shook his head and Buffy jumped slightly when Francis fell in behind them, sending tremors through the dense ground in every direction. "No, luv. We're stayin' at the mansion 'til we get this mess sorted. The mansion has more wards on it than the house and I'd feel better havin' you there."

Buffy huffed and moved up to walk beside Spike, whining just a little more. "But musty, gross old rooms, Spike, and I'm not scared of Riley. If he isn't ash already, I'll so totally kick his ass if he shows up again."

Spike shook his head again. "No, Buffy. And it's not Captain Cardboard I'm worried about. We don't know what Dru saw comin' for you and I'm not takin' any chances. The whole Scooby gang is movin' in while we suss out what's what and that's the end of it. Discussion over."

Spike's forceful and decisive tone sent a bolt of lust through Buffy in spite of her exhaustion and she moved closer to him, sliding one arm around his waist while the fingers on her other hand trailed slowly under the lapel of his duster, sliding along his chest and up to the hollow of his throat. She leaned up, her lips just brushing his ear as she whispered, "Yes… Master."

Spike stumbled slightly as his breath hitched then he glared at the ground, trying to cover by mumbling, "Soddin' branches layin' about everywhere."

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They'd made it to the mansion without any more 'stumbling' incidents, because shortly after the first one, Billy had woken up. When he'd come to enough to realize what was carrying him… well… freaked out would probably not be a strong enough description. He'd screamed, startling Buffy, Spike, and Francis… probably Francis the most… and then he'd bailed out of the huge hand, flapping his arms in a vain attempt to slow his descent when he'd suddenly realized just how far above the ground he'd been. He'd landed hard, one leg folding under him with a sickening crack as he'd rolled off the path and smacked his head on a rock, knocking himself out again.

Buffy had quickly shucked her jacket then, checking to ensure that Francis wasn't looking at her, had stripped off her shirt and slid back into the jacket lightning quick, zipping it all the way to her neck. She'd straightened Billy's broken leg then splinted it tightly using a couple of fairly straight tree limbs and hastily torn strips of her shirt. Then she'd gently picked him up, trying not to jar his leg, and had stood by silently, waiting for Spike to finish with Francis.

While Buffy had been tending to Billy, Spike had been trying to reassure Francis that he'd done nothing wrong and that he wasn't in any trouble. The huge demon had been beside himself – he'd taken quite a liking to the tiny vampire, seeing him as something akin to a pet – and his worried grumbling and pacing had caused the trees nearest them to quake furiously. Spike had finally managed to calm him down, but had only gotten him to agree to go home by promising to keep him apprised of Billy's condition.

So here she was – trudging across the mansion's back lawn with Billy draped around her neck and shoulders like an undead scarf. When her skin started tingling because of the wards, she stopped and turned to Spike. "Has he been invited? 'Cause I really don't feel like getting knocked on my ass when he bounces off."

Spike shook his head. "Not yet, hold on." He muttered something low and fast then smiled. "He's invited now." Spike preceded her up the steps to the back door then held it open for her as she maneuvered Billy through. Spike led the way to the stairs off the kitchen and turned to face her. "You sure you don't want me to carry him?"

Buffy shook her head with a tired smile, "Yes, I'm sure, Spike… for like the fifteenth time. He's already wigged and now he's hurt and I just don't want him to freak out again if he wakes up. I seem to be the only person he trusts." She shifted him slightly, wincing when he moaned in pain, and started up the stairs. "Why'd his leg break when he jumped anyway? I've seen you jump three times that distance with no problems."

Spike followed her up the stairs, one hand raised to guard Billy's head from slamming into the ornate sconces lining the walls. "I don't think he's fed for a while, and he probably hasn't fed properly for most of his unlife so he's not had the chance to get to full strength. From the looks of him, he's been barely surviving." They gained the landing and Spike slipped in front of her and opened the third door they came to. "Put him in here, luv."

Buffy carried Billy over to the large four-poster bed that dominated the medium-size room and laid him down as gently as she could. He groaned when she lightly gripped his leg and started feeling along the bones, ensuring that they were still straight and would heal properly.

A small tapping on the door caught her attention as Spike turned and motioned a tiny demon forward. He was carrying a tray that was slightly bigger than he was, loaded down with four large bags of blood, a large mug, a pair of scissors, and a bendy straw. Buffy blinked at him as he moved quickly across the room and deposited the tray on the night table. He was kind of… well… blurry, like he was out of focus or something. She squinted and stared hard at him as he went to work clipping the corner off a bag then draining the contents into the mug, but trying to pin him down was making her eyes go all weird and crossed like she was staring at one of those hidden 3-D pictures. She got up and moved over next to Spike then leaned up and whispered, "Why can't I see him right? He's all fuzzy."

Spike chuckled, "They're not meant to be seen, Buffy. They stick to the background, unnoticed 'til they're needed. The only reason you can see him at all is 'cause you're the Slayer."

"Can you see him?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, 'cause I'm his Master. Anybody else just sees a shadow… or something moving out of the corner of their eye that they can't quite catch when they try to look at it."

"So he's your slave?"

Spike shook his head. "No. He and his mate are free to leave here any time they like. His name's Kt'lid and he's of a servant race. They're born and bred to serve, Buffy, it's all they know. "

"You don't seem like the having servants type, Spike. I mean, none of the Watcher books ever said anything about you having any."

Spike laughed. "I was the type when I was alive, pet. My family was well-off enough to have a few servants and a cook, but I've only had minions since I was turned. Never stayed in one place long enough to bother with demon servants… wouldn't have been able to get any even if I'd wanted some. The oldest of the line has to contract for 'em, and I'd have drunk a vat of holy water 'fore askin' ol' Batface for anything."

Buffy squinted over at Kt'lid as he pushed one end of the straw between Billy's lips then started massaging his throat so he'd swallow. She glanced at the tray and was surprised to see that Billy was already on his second bag of blood. "So Angel set you up with demon servants?"

Spike shook his head. "No. Kt'lid and his mate aren't formally contracted to me; but they choose to stay here, which amounts to the same thing. Only difference is they could leave if they wanted to. Usually, they stay with the same family their entire lives, but their contracted master died without leavin' an heir and none of his family wanted to assume the contract. And once they've gone to a master, they can't go back to their people, so they were homeless… destitute and starving. Clem found 'em hidin' in a sewer tunnel and brought 'em here. I let 'em stay…" Spike shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed, "Figured what could it hurt? 'Sides, this place did need tendin' to and it gives them a home."

"So how did Clem find them if they can't be seen?"

"They weren't under contract at the time so anybody could see 'em, which is why they were hiding. Some demons think they're a right tasty snack, but once they'd decided to accept me as their Master, the not-seein' bit kicked in."

Buffy nodded then looked around the room, noticing that it was sparkling clean; the carpet was thick and soft and the walls were smooth and painted a warm, muted red. There was no dust anywhere that she could see and the furniture was all in good shape… old, but sturdy. She sniffed deeply and was rewarded with the faint smell of cinnamon and spice… not even a hint of musty, dusty, or moldy. "Well, they do a good job, this place looks fabulous." She smiled as she turned and pulled Spike into a hug. "You're such a softie, Spike. The Big Bad Master of the Hellmouth taking in a couple of poor little lost demons. How cute."

"Oi! You take that back!" Spike tried to paste a seriously offended look on his face and failed miserably when the love-filled grin on Buffy's face caused his lips to turn up in a warm smile. "Fine, pet. You got me. Couldn't very well turn 'em away, now could I?"

A slight rustling sound brought Buffy's attention back to Kt'lid and something suddenly struck her. "Wait… how'd he know we needed blood up here… and a straw? You didn't talk to anybody when we came in, did you?"

Spike shook his head with a quiet chuckle. "Nope. They just know, Buffy. You don't have to give them instructions or requests… they just know what needs doin' and they do it. It actually makes them very uncomfortable to be acknowledged. They prefer to just get on with their work, and nothin' makes 'em happier than bein' completely ignored."

Buffy leaned her head on Spike's chest with a chuckle. "Have I mentioned the whole 'demons are weird' thing recently?"


	47. Chapter 47  The Best Thing

XXXX

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Seven – The Best Thing

Buffy checked Billy's leg one more time before Spike finally coaxed her out of the room, assuring her that Kt'lid had things well in hand and Billy would be well cared for. "I'll be notified the very second he wakes, Buffy, so you've nothin' to worry about." He led her down the long hallway toward the large double doors at the very end then opened them both with a flourish. "Welcome to your home for the next however long, luv. Hope everything's to your liking."

Buffy smiled warmly up at him as she slipped past and stepped into the most luxuriously extravagant room she'd ever seen. Her eyes bugged out as she gazed over the beautiful furniture, done in deep burgundies and thick, dark blacks, accented here and there with a creamy alabaster that was the exact color of Spike's skin. She immediately bent down and quickly unlaced her boots, kicking them aside so she could sink her toes into the thick cream-colored carpet as she walked toward the overstuffed couch. She ran her fingers lovingly over the butter-soft black leather covering the arm as her still bugged out eyes scanned around the large space. Every single item in the room just screamed 'Spike.' From the fully stocked bar taking up most of one wall to the taller than she was big screen TV sitting in the corner flanked by shelves full of leather-bound books. A solid oak stand in the opposite corner held a state of the art sound system, and what looked like a hand-carved rack held dozens upon dozens of artfully arranged CDs.

Buffy turned back toward the doorway to see a proudly smiling Spike and she breathed out in complete and utter awe. "Ho. Ly. Shit."

Spike laughed. "That's pretty much the reaction I had as well, kitten. Harris did a good job, yeah? And if you think this room's nice…" he winked lasciviously, "just wait 'til you see the bedroom."

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*Flashback*

Xander was dragging Spike down the dusty corridor to yet **another** room as he babbled excitedly about how he was going to fix up the last one they'd looked at. He threw open the double doors at the end of the hallway and whistled low through his teeth when he saw the size of the room they were now standing in. He turned to Spike with a smile. "This one's yours. Definitely. Looks like it's the largest suite in the mansion, so it must be the master. The master for The Master." He chuckled at his little joke and started toward another set of double doors across from the ones they'd just come through.

Xander pushed open the second set of double doors and Spike gritted his teeth at the loud screech from the hinges. He jiggled his finger around in his ear, trying to stop the ringing, then heard another low whistle as Xander clomped around the room, kicking up clouds of dust whenever he took a step. Xander poked his head back through the door and motioned to Spike. "Come see this… you won't believe the size of the bathroom!"

Spike growled under his breath and slogged toward the bedroom, wondering what the hell he'd been thinking asking Harris to renovate the mansion. "Should've just left it alone… not like I'll be stayin' here anyway, and the soddin' delegation can just bloody well stay at a hotel." He took a deep breath as he stepped into the bedroom and immediately began choking and coughing on all the dust floating in the air. "Bloody hell, whelp! Stop draggin' those great lummox feet about! It'll take days to clear all the soddin' dust from my lungs!"

Xander's laugh echoed around the huge, empty bathroom. "Bite me, Fangless. Just get your pasty ass in here!"

Spike stepped into the bathroom, eyebrow already cocked as he leered at Xander. "Spend a lot of time thinkin' 'bout my arse, do you?" He turned around and moved his duster out of the way then made a show of looking over his shoulder at his backside. "Is rather nice, isn't it? Firm, muscular…tight…"

Xander's face went a deep red as he sputtered, "No! I do not spend ANY time thinking about your… your…" He shoved Spike and hollered, "Just shut up!" as Spike's laughter rang out through the bathroom.

Spike wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes and looked around the bathroom, finally noticing just how huge it was. "Who on earth needs a loo the size of the bleedin' Taj Mahal?"

Xander's face was slowly returning to its normal shade and he cleared his throat. "Looks like you do, Bleach Boy, considering this is gonna be your _loo_." He looked around the large room then back at Spike. "You've really never seen this floor? Didn't you stay here for a while during the whole 'Angelus trying to suck the world into hell' thing?"

Spike nodded, "Yeah, but I was in a wheelchair at the time, remember? And even though I could walk, wouldn't do to have my scent all over the upper floors… not when I was tryin' to keep 'Gelus from realizin' he'd underestimated me… again."

"Right. So why haven't you been up here before now? I mean, you've been Master for a few years..."

Spike shrugged, "Haven't had reason to before now. Never really needed a proper lair – livin' in the basement suits me right down to the ground – but it'll look better to the delegation if I've got one. I could probably get away with puttin' 'em up in a hotel, but if they stay here, it'll nip a lot of future trouble right in the bud. If I've got the lair and follow the bloody tedious traditions and customs and whatnot, they'll spread the word amongst the other courts that a proper Master controls the Hellmouth, so…"

"Complete re-do, roof to foundation, to impress the out of town big-wigs. Gotcha." Xander nodded then pointed to a rubble filled corner under a large window. "So… I'll put a tub over there. Huge tub. Big enough for like six people." The opposite corner was pointed to next. "And there will be a walk-in shower with four shower heads, the kind that make it look like it's raining. Dark stone tiles, glass walls… maybe a stone bench."

Spike snorted, "A bench in the shower? What the bloody hell for?"

Xander's face went a little red again. "Uh… for if you… uh… have a lady friend over… and um… you know."

Spike eyed the corner speculatively for a few seconds then he leered at it. "Ah… leverage for a proper shag. Right." He turned the leer on an again fully red-faced Xander. "'Course, whenever I shag in the shower, I usually just press the chit up against the wall, but a bench might come in right handy. Good idea, whelp."

Xander nodded, his face still a bright red, and started pointing at other areas, babbling about what he was going to do, but Spike wasn't listening. He was gazing longingly at the corner as a bitter melancholy flooded through him. Xander noticed the change in demeanor when he looked over at Spike, expecting a snarky or possibly lewd comment about the bidet he planned to install, and instead saw the sadness etched into Spike's features. He reached out and lightly touched his arm. "Hey. Not to sound all girly or anything, but what's wrong?"

Spike shook himself out of his somber thoughts and tried to smile, but didn't quite succeed. "Nothin'. Just thinkin' I won't be gettin' much use out of your shower shaggin' bench… but you and Demon Girl are welcome to use it. Bet the witches could have bit of fun there as well."

Xander dropped his hand and said quietly, "She'll come back, Spike."

Spike chuckled bitterly. "I've no doubt about that, Xan. Still doesn't mean I'll be usin' that shower for anythin' 'sides gettin' clean. You know how she feels 'bout me." His shoulders slumped and he turned away from the corner that seemed to be mocking him. "Least I'll have a place to stay other than some moldy old crypt when she violently ejects my arse from her house." He snorted again, "'Course, when she finds out I've made myself Master, she'll probably just introduce me to Mr. Pointy and turn it all over to Peaches once I'm dust." He waved a hand in the general direction of where the sink would be. "So make sure you put in a cabinet large enough to hold all his manly _beauty products_, yeah? Wouldn't want the poofter to be inconvenienced."

He trudged out of the suite and started making his way down the long hallway toward the stairs. His foot was hovering over the top step when Xander finally caught up, laying a hand on his shoulder. "She won't dust you, and she won't give anything to Angel."

Spike snorted derisively, "Right. Sure 'bout that, are you? She hates me, Xan. You and I both know she's disgusted by me and she still loves the Great Forehead, so once she's back, which one of us do you think she's gonna pick? 'Cause I bloody well know it's not gonna be me… now just leave it, yeah? I've got work to do and so do you. You'll have it ready by the time the Vegas delegation arrives, won't you? Six months will be enough time?"

Xander nodded, "Yeah. I don't have any other big jobs coming up in the next few months so I'll be able to put most of my guys on this one. There's no structural damage according to the inspector I had look it over, so once we've gutted the place, it won't take long to fix it back up and I've already got three rooms full of furniture made. I can always hit estate auctions to get furniture for the rest."

Spike nodded and started down the stairs. "No expense spared, Xan, remember that. Whatever you need, you get. Just send the bills to Peaches and he'll take care of it. And don't skimp on payin' your blokes, either. If they're doin' good work, they get good pay. Got it?"

Xander trotted down the stairs after him. "Ok, got it, but I'm gonna need you to look at colors and fabrics and stuff for your suite. Do you want modern furniture or antique? What era? I need to know these things, Spike."

Spike stepped off the bottom stair and held up his arms then spun in a slow circle. "Xan, look at me. What colors do I like?"

Xander looked over Spike's outfit and muttered. "Red and black."

"Right." He fingered the duster and his over shirt. "And fabrics?"

"Silk and leather."

"Right again." He spun on his heel and headed for the front door. "And as far as furniture goes, use your judgment. I really don't give a toss as long as it performs the function it was meant to." He stopped with his hand on the knob and looked back over his shoulder. "Just make it nice, Xan. Want the Slayer to be comfortable when she takes up residence with the poof. Now, I've got to go find that buggerin' demon what's been terrorizin' the locals and rip his soddin' head off. Then I think I'm gonna get pissed. See you in a few days."

XX

XXXX

XX

"Xander did all this?" Buffy dropped onto the couch with an awed squeak. "Xander Harris?"

Spike chuckled and stepped fully into the room, pulling the doors closed behind him. "Well, not all by himself, luv. Harris Construction renovated the mansion, but Xan did pick out the furniture and whatnot for my suite. Even made some of it by hand. He's quite good." Spike waved a hand around the room. "This suite even managed to score the whelp a spread in some hoity toity magazine. Brought him a lot of business."

Buffy nodded slowly as she looked around the richly appointed room again. "Wow, Spike. This is just… wow."

Spike nodded with a quiet chuckle as he moved over to the couch and sat down next to her. "Yeah. Wow. For as much as it cost, it should be wow." He barked an amused laugh. "Wish I could've seen the poof's face every time he rang me about the latest bill. He'd be just apoplectic over the size of the numbers he was writin' on the checks." Spike sighed happily. "Good times."

Buffy smirked and leaned back into the sofa, pulling Spike back with her, then curled into his side and laid her arm over his stomach. "So, Mister Moneybags, when did you get all rich and everything? I distinctly remember having to pay you for information and Giles having to buy you blood and cigarettes because you were broke."

Spike smiled sheepishly, "Well… I kind of actually wasn't. Had dosh – lots of it – but it was locked away in several accounts that I couldn't get to without goin' through Peaches… and I wasn't 'bout to do that." He chuckled again, somewhat bitterly this time. "Not like the great tosser would've given me what was rightly mine anyhow. Too caught up in punishin' himself back then. Livin' like a bloody pauper 'cause he figured it'd be better for his soddin' 'redemption' or whatnot. Git."

"So where did the money come from?"

Spike shrugged, "Don't rightly know, luv. All's I know is that the Aurelian line has always been flush. When you hear people talk 'bout 'old money,' well… we've got some of the oldest. The Aurelians hold title to castles and lands all over Europe, along with vaults full of priceless art and coins and other assorted bits and bobs, and bein' that Peaches, me, and Dru are the oldest survivin' members, it's all ours. 'Course, bein' vampires, we didn't really have use for it most of the time. Just took what we wanted and only dipped into the kitty when Darla'd get it into her head to stay somewhere longer than a couple of months. Had to look like proper nobility then, buyin' estates and hirin' servants and what all. Bloody borin' is what it was. Balls and dinners and bein' forced to dress like a right nancy just so's Darla could live like royalty for a while 'stead of the filthy, diseased whore she'd been."

Buffy squeezed Spike with a small chuckle, "Ok, Spike, now don't hold back. Tell me how you really feel."

Spike laughed and laid a quick peck to the top of her head, "Cheeky bint."

Buffy sighed and snuggled a little further into Spike, her eyelids starting to get heavy. "So why do you live in that drafty old basement instead of here?"

Spike tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer. "'Cause of you."

Buffy mumbled sleepily, "Me?"

Spike laid his cheek lightly on top of her head and mumbled, "Yeah. Could feel you there… go into your room and look at all your things and imagine you were just out for a bit and would be back shortly… most likely to punch me in the nose."

"So it was you that kept my room like that?"

Spike nodded against her hair. "Yeah. Just seemed right to keep it like you'd left it. Made it seem like you were closer, I guess. Made it easier to get through the day."

Buffy's mumbled, "Mmhmm," petered out into steady breathing as she finally succumbed to her exhaustion. Spike listened to the slow thub-thub of her heart for a while before he relaxed into the soft cushion and let himself drift off, joining her in slumber.

XX

XXXX

XX

Buffy woke up sprawled across Spike who was sprawled across the couch, one foot hanging off the edge and the other propped up on the arm. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her to his chest even in sleep, and she smiled against his neck, not having much choice in the matter because her face was smooshed up against it. She stirred and started to sit up, only to be tugged back against a muscular, leather covered chest as Spike mumbled, "No… stay. Warm."

Buffy slid her arms underneath Spike and squeezed him tight for a few minutes before she pushed herself up. "Sorry, Spike, but one of us has to pee once in a while and I'm so hungry that my stomach is about to start munching on my spleen."

Before she'd even finished her sentence, the door to the suite silently swung open and Kt'lid strode through, carrying another bigger than he was tray loaded down with food and drinks. The aroma wafted toward the couch and Buffy's stomach growled loudly in response. She smiled down at her sleepy vampire then leaned down to kiss him before she turned and sat up. "Awesome timing. I think I could get used to this."

Spike mumbled, "Told you they just know, Buffy," as he rolled over to face the back of the couch, trying to slip back into sleep.

Buffy smiled warmly at the cuteness that was sleepy Spike, then turned and watched Kt'lid slide the tray onto the large coffee table in front of the couch. He took the lids off the plates and poured a large glass of milk from a tall pitcher and a cup of tea from a steaming pot then turned without any more ado and walked into what Buffy assumed was the bedroom. She stared at the doorway that he'd disappeared through then jumped slightly when he suddenly reappeared and quickly exited the suite before she'd even had time to wonder what he'd been doing in there.

She shrugged and turned to the tray, picking up the fork and the larger plate of food. She balanced the plate on her knees and dug in, moaning in pleasure as the taste burst on her tongue. "God, Spike, this is wonderful!" He grunted and she took another bite, moaning even louder this time.

Spike mumbled against the couch cushion, "You keep makin' noises like that and you're not gonna get to finish that meal, pet."

Buffy giggled and reached for the milk glass. "Sorry, but it's just really good. I think this is the best thing I've ever had in my mouth."

Spike rolled over with a quirked eyebrow. "Really? The best thing?"

Buffy blushed. "Well… food-wise, yeah."

He chuckled and sat up, evidently giving up on getting any more sleep. He scrubbed his hands over his face, frowning at the flakes of dried blood that drifted down over his lap. "Bollocks. I need a shower."

He leaned forward, preparing to stand, and Buffy laid her hand on his knee. "Can you wait just a little while? Until I'm done eating? I want to go with you."

Spike smiled and leaned back against the couch. "Sure, kitten, eat up. I'll wait." She smiled and dug in with gusto, shoveling the food into her mouth until Spike laughed loudly. "Slow down, luv. Know 'm a sexy beast and you can't wait to get me starkers, but there's no need to make yourself sick."

She swallowed what was in her mouth and blushed again as she looked at the tray, something suddenly clicking in her mind. "Wait, what about you? He didn't bring you any blood. Aren't you hungry?"

He shook his head, "No. I'll not have to feed for a few more days, pet. Slayer blood… powerful stuff."

She smiled. "Oh. Right." She took another bite, trying to keep the moaning to a minimum, then mumbled around the food in her mouth. "What time is it?"

Spike reached over and snagged a wing off the smaller plate. "It's gone six. Be dark in 'bout an hour or so."

Buffy nodded. "Ok. I'm gonna need to go to the house and get some clothes and stuff."

Spike shook his head. "I'll send the witches or Clem. Don't want you leavin' the mansion till Billy's able to go with you."

Buffy smirked. "You want Billy to be my bodyguard? Seriously? Have you met Billy?"

Spike laughed, "We've not been formally introduced, no, but he plays a part in Dru's vision and he needs to be with you whenever you leave here."

Buffy frowned. "What part? What's supposed to happen to him?" Spike looked away, a sure sign that he didn't want to tell her, so she reached over and grasped his chin, turning his head back to face her. "What's gonna happen to him, Spike?"

Spike sighed and tossed his uneaten wing back onto the plate then scrubbed his hand through his hair. "Not completely sure how he ends up, but he takes a hit meant for you… saves your life, pet."


	48. Chapter 48  Bother

X

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Eight – Bother

The fork clattered noisily to the plate as Buffy whispered, "He dies, doesn't he?"

"Don't know, luv. Dru wasn't all that clear."

"But you think he does, don't you?"

Spike shrugged then nodded slightly. "It's possible."

Buffy set the plate back on the tray and turned to face Spike. "Well, it's not gonna happen. I'm not gonna let him die for me, Spike."

Spike gripped her arms tightly and growled, "Yes you will, Buffy, if it comes to that. I know he's family, but if I have to choose between you and him, I choose you."

Spike's slightly fangy version of the resolve face clearly told Buffy that there was no way she was going to argue him out of this and her shoulders slumped in resignation. "Fine." She looked up hopefully. "Can you talk to Dru again? Maybe see if she can tell you anything else?"

Spike nodded. "I can try, pet, but there's no guarantee that she's even seen what happens to him, and until we know more, he sticks with you."

Buffy leaned into Spike and wrapped her arms around him. "Ok, I guess." She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. "So how long am I stuck inside? How long will it take his leg to heal?"

Spike shrugged, "Few days… a week at most. We'll know more when he wakes."

Buffy sat up, her eyes wide and worried. "He's still asleep? Is that normal?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. When a vamp's hurt badly enough, they go into a coma-like state until they've healed. That's most likely what Billy's done."

Buffy's brow furrowed. "He broke his leg. That's it. You were hurt way worse and you didn't go all coma-boy."

"I wasn't half-starved to start with, luv, and as young as he is, it doesn't take much to overwhelm his system. Don't worry though, Kt'lid will stuff him full of blood and he'll be tip-top in a few days."

Buffy nodded miserably. "Right. Get him all healed up so he can go out and get dusted. Perfect."

Spike lifted his hand and ran his fingers gently down Buffy's cheek. "Don't know that for sure, pet. Whatever's after you is out to kill a human, so whatever hit he's meant to take for you most likely won't dust him."

Buffy leaned close and laid her head on his shoulder again. "I hope so, Spike."

Spike squeezed her in a quick hug then nodded toward the tray. "Eat your dinner, Slayer. Need to keep your strength up."

She let him go and turned back to the tray then picked up her plate and dug in with another loud moan. "God, this is so good." She nodded toward the smaller plate and the teapot. "I think those are yours, though. Wings don't really go with what I'm eating, and I don't drink tea."

Spike leaned forward and picked up his plate of wings and cup of tea with a smile. "Wings go with anything, pet, but yeah, Kt'lid brought these for me." He expertly stripped a wing and dropped the naked bone back onto the plate then took a sip of tea.

Buffy mumbled around a mouthful of food, "Did everyone else get here ok? I didn't hear anybody come in."

Spike nodded. "Yeah, they're here." He tilted his head, listening intently, then smiled and gave her a rundown. "Niblet and the witches are in the kitchen, Dru and Thomas are asleep in the room across from Billy's, and the Harris clan is in their room. Anya's feedin' baby Will."

Buffy smiled, "I can't wait to see him, bet he's just the cutest thing."

"He was a bit of a mess last I saw him, but I imagine he's cleaned up nice since then."

Buffy grinned. "What about Angel and Giles?"

Spike listened again and smirked. "Peaches is in his room just down the hall, probably mopin' and broodin' about, knowin' him." He sniffed deeply and growled. "Bloody bog-trottin' mick wanker! He's drinkin' my 15-year-old Glenfiddich!" His tea cup hit the tray with a loud clatter as he started to stand.

Buffy reached out and laid her hand on his arm. "You can yell at him for that later, Spike. Where's Giles?"

Spike wrestled his anger under control then relaxed into the cushions, straightening the plate on his knee before he picked up another wing. He listened again then shrugged as he stripped the wing, mumbling around the sauce covered lump of meat in his mouth. "Don't know, pet. He's not here."

Buffy's eyes went wide. "He's not? Why?"

Spike shrugged and dropped another naked bone onto his plate. "No idea. Might be at the shop researchin' or some such. Have to talk to Glinda, she probably knows."

"Is he safe there?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. Shop's warded, as is his flat, if he's there."

Buffy nodded. "Ok." She scooped up the last of the food on her plate then put the plate on the tray and turned to Spike. "You about done with those? You need to get cleaned up."

Spike winked as he stripped another wing. "Just can't wait to get me starkers, can you, luv?" He dropped the bone and picked up another wing. "You'll just have to be patient, pet. These are some bloody good wings."

Buffy smiled as her hand went to the zipper of her jacket and pulled it down a few inches. "Those do look good… yeah, you go ahead and keep eating, Spike. I'll just start without you."

Spike's wing plate clattered onto the tray next to his teacup and he stood up, pulling Buffy up with him. "You most certainly will not." He led her around the couch to the doors that Kt'lid had disappeared through earlier, stopping just outside. "I'm going to cover your eyes, luv. Don't want you seein' this room 'til we've time to enjoy it properly."

Buffy smiled. "And we don't have time now?"

Spike shook his head with a grin. "No. Glinda's gettin' antsy, wantin' to speak to me 'bout last night, and your sis wants to talk to you, so I figure we've got 'bout an hour 'fore somebody decides to roust us out."

Buffy smirked as she looked at the doors leading out of the suite. "Should we lock the doors? You know how the Scoobies… and especially Dawnie… are with the whole not knocking and just barging in thing."

Spike laughed, "No need, kitten. Nobody can enter my rooms 'less I invite 'em in personally. 'Cept Kt'lid and his mate, of course, but like I said… they just know, so they won't be disturbing us."

Buffy blushed slightly and turned to face the doors, resting her hands on the handles. "Ok, Spike, cover my eyes before I work myself up to being really embarrassed over the fact that the household help knows everything we're doing in here."

Spike laughed and lifted his hands, laying them lightly over Buffy's eyes. "Ok, pet. I'll guide you, but the loo's pretty much straight on from this door, so just keep walkin' 'till you run out of carpet."

Buffy nodded under his hands and opened the doors, pushing them wide. She took a few steps, her feet sinking down into the thick carpet, then Spike pressed on the left side of her head just a tiny bit, so she angled slightly toward the right and walked confidently through the room, stopping when the carpet turned to cool stone. Spike nudged her forward a few more steps then uncovered her eyes, reaching behind him to push the doors shut. "All right, pet. You can open them now."

Buffy's gasp echoed around a bathroom that was larger than her bedroom at home. Just to her right was a long stone-topped cabinet that held two black polished granite vessel sinks – the kind that sit on top of the counter instead of being embedded in it – with gracefully curving faucets that reminded her of a swan's neck. The toilet and matching bidet were inside their own little cubicle across from the sinks – and why a vampire needed a toilet… or a bidet – she shook her head and continued looking over the room, placing that in the 'demons weird' column of her mental tally.

The corner to the right of the toilet cubby held a tub – shaped like a shiny black teardrop – that looked large enough to hold several people. The large picture windows that took up most of the wall space above it were bathing the entire room in the last dying rays of the sun. Buffy turned and smiled at Spike as he followed her over to the edge of the tub, the bright orange and red hues dancing across his face. She nodded at the windows. "Vamp-safe?"

He nodded back with an amused grin. "Yeah. Had to be specially made 'cause of the odd sized windows. Whole mansion's full of odd-sized windows… and they've all got vamp-safe glass." He chuckled. "Got another apoplectic call from Sir Forehead over that bill."

Buffy chuckled then looked at him curiously. "Hold on a minute. Why is Angel freaking out about how you spend your money? Why do you even tell him?"

Spike smirked. "'Cause it's fun. Hired his firm to manage my finances then asked for Peaches to be personally assigned to my portfolio." He shrugged. "I could do it myself… got the brains and the knowhow… and there's always Red… but…"

Buffy smiled. "But then you wouldn't get to torment Angel."

Spike touched the end of his nose with his fingertip. "Got it in one, luv. Poof always was a soddin' skinflint… wanker could squeeze a coin 'til it screamed… but he does know what he's doin.' The Aurelian fortune wouldn't be near what it is today if the broody bastard hadn't taken it over."

Buffy smirked and turned away from the tub to continue looking over the bathroom. The corner opposite the tub had a glass-walled walk-in shower that was tiled in polished black granite to match the sinks. Buffy moved closer, intrigued by the oddly shaped shower heads… all four of them. They each had a small circular center piece with several curved arms extending from it that made them look like how a child would draw the sun – round center with squiggly rays.

She stepped into the shower stall, still looking up at the shower heads, and her leg brushed against something near the center of the large space. She looked down in surprise at the black granite bench then turned to look back at Spike. "A bench, Spike? Do you stand in here so long that you get tired and have to sit down?"

Spike chuckled warmly as he moved across the room, pulling her out of the stall before he reached in and turned on the water. "I've only used this shower once or twice, luv, but the bench isn't for sittin' – it's for more… recreational activities."

Buffy eyed the bench as the water cascaded down over it then looked up at Spike, his lust-filled eyes telling her exactly what his plans were for the bench. She smiled seductively and stepped up in front of him, her fingertips trailing over the top button of his duster before she slid it free. "I'd better get you out of this then. Wouldn't want to ruin the leather."

As Buffy opened the buttons of his coat he was busy sliding down the zipper of hers. It fell open, exposing her breasts to the cool air of the room and he slid his hands under the coat, pulling her close then leaning down to capture her lips in a kiss. She pushed the duster off his shoulders, letting it fall to a heap around his feet then slid out of her own coat. She stepped back, unbuttoning her jeans, and her breath caught in her throat as she took in the dark maroon swaths of dried blood that were smeared over almost every square inch of Spike's pale skin. She took another step back, eyeing him from head to toe, and her eyes suddenly filled with tears as she whispered, "God, Spike… are you ok?"

His head tilted then he looked down at himself for a moment before he raised his eyes back to hers. "Fine, pet. Tip-top. 'S just blood."

Her jeans forgotten, she stepped forward and raised her fingers to his chest, lightly tracing them over a long stripe of blood that indicated where he'd been cut. The gash had run from just under his left pectoral then down across his ribs to end in the hollow next to his hip bone. Another one curled around his right pectoral and continued under his arm to end in the middle of his back. Spike stood still, shivering slightly at her feather light touches as she examined damage that was no longer present. Her fingers traced the criss-crossed lines of dried blood on his back that had most likely come from a whip, then he heard her gasp as her fingers slid lightly across his backside and came to rest on the large patches of dried blood on his inner thighs.

Suddenly she was in front of him again, sliding her jeans quickly down her legs then kicking them aside. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the shower stall, a look of fury on her face as she tugged him beneath the gently falling water. She turned to the stone shelf mounted on the wall at chest height and took a washcloth off the stack, wetting it under the spray and then soaping it thoroughly. She tugged him forward just enough to be mostly out of the water then laid the washcloth gently on his chest.

Spike reached up and covered her hand with his own. "I can do it, kitten, if it's botherin' you."

She lifted her eyes to his, fury and sadness warring for dominance on her features, then tightened her grip on the washcloth and whispered. "Yeah… it bothers me. What they did to you bothers me. I just… how can you be so calm about it? If that had happened to me… if Riley had made good on his threat…"

Spike's sudden growl reverberated around the stall. "What threat, Buffy? What'd that pillock do to you?"

Buffy shrugged, "Nothing much really. He slammed me around and punched me a couple of times." Her voice dropped to a whisper so low that Spike had to strain to hear her over the noise of the water. "And he threatened to rape me. He did rape the girl in the cell across from mine… the one Woozlag took care of." She closed her eyes and squeezed the washcloth so hard that a rivulet of soap suds poured out of it and tracked slowly down Spike's stomach. "It hurt her, Spike… God, so much… she was screaming… and there was so much blood… and you… they did that to you… and…" She looked up at him with eyes full of pain. "Are you ok, Spike?"

Spike pulled her close, tucking her head beneath his chin as he rubbed soothing circles on her back. "I'm fine, Buffy. I was out cold the whole time… didn't even realize it'd happened 'til I'd gathered my wits 'bout me and started takin' stock."

Buffy whispered against his chest. "But that's happened to you before? You said…"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, luv. Been 'round a long time."

She stood back and looked up at him and he knew what question was coming next. He waited while she debated with herself about asking it… she clearly wanted to know but at the same time wasn't sure she could handle the answer. He watched as she steeled herself and took a deep breath. "Have you ever raped anyone?"


	49. Chapter 49  It Helps

Coming Through

Chapter Forty Nine – It Helps

She stood tensely, waiting for his answer, and he knew that being glib at this point was probably not the best idea, but he tried it anyway, wanting to divert her from the path that a truthful answer would lead her down. He didn't want to go back to Buffy being disgusted by him again, not when she'd only just declared her love for him, so he quirked his eyebrow and curled his tongue behind his teeth. "Not really my style, luv." He pointedly motioned toward his face and chest. "With all this goin' for me, really don't need to force someone."

She nodded – silently agreeing that yes, he was indeed hot – then pressed on. "But you have?"

His shoulders slumped and he backed up to lean against the wall, putting the falling water between them as he resigned himself to the fact that with his next words, he would lose her. "Yeah. Once."

"Tell me." She eyed the bench and took a step toward it, intending to sit down to listen to his story, but changed her mind. She wanted to be on her feet for this and, knowing that what Spike was about to tell her was going to be unpleasant, didn't want to have an object that was supposed to be attached to good memories – hopefully lots and lots of good memories – tainted with this bad one.

He looked at her through the water, head tilted and brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Because I need to know, Spike."

He nodded as his heart clenched painfully in his chest, then he scrubbed his hands over his face and leaned his head on the wall, looking up at the odd shower heads. "Was back when I was a fledge… 'bout ten, maybe twelve years after Dru'd turned me. The girls were off somewhere shoppin'… huntin'… whatever. They'd been gone 'bout a week when 'Gelus brought this bird to the lair. She couldn't have been more than thirteen or so. Tiny little thing. Looked a lot like my youngest sister… probably why he'd chosen her." He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the pictures that were flashing across his mind. "He told me to take her… ordered it usin' his Sire bond so I couldn't refuse. She was so small, and I'm… not. I was tearin' her up… splittin' her open… and she looked so much like my little sis… I couldn't bear it any longer, so I snapped her neck and ended her pain. That angered Angelus no end. He'd wanted me to take her over and over so he could watch her suffer for hours… hear her screams."

He kept his eyes closed so he wouldn't have to see the look of horrified disgust that was surely plastered on Buffy's face. He waited, listening for the sounds that would signify her turning away from him and leaving the shower stall, but they didn't come. She was just standing there, breathing heavily like she was trying to get herself under control. He could hear the faint squishing noise as she clenched and unclenched her fist around the wash cloth that was still clutched in her hand. He was listening so intently that he startled violently when she suddenly shouted, her furious voice filling the stall and reverberating off the stone and glass with an intensity that almost made his ears bleed. "That son of a bitch! He made you do that to a child! To a tiny little girl! I knew he was a sick fuck, but that! Couldn't even do it himself… had to make you do it! What did he do to you after you killed her and took away his sick fuck fun time? I'm guessing that he didn't just let it go."

Spike's eyes flew open and it took him a minute or so to realize that the look of horrified disgust that was, in fact, plastered on Buffy's face wasn't directed at him. Yeah, she was furious… tear somebody's head off and stomp their twitching carcass into a grease spot furious… but… she was furious **for** him – not **at** him. He shook himself and shot a look of pity at the poor wash cloth that was slowly being shredded because of Buffy's nails continuously piercing the cloth as she continued to clench her fists. "Uh… no, he didn't, pet. He… uh… he punished me."

She voiced a low, livid growl that was accompanied by a few more holes in the wash cloth. "How?"

He really didn't want to tell her – it wasn't one of his most treasured memories, in fact, he'd barely survived it – but the look on her face brooked absolutely no argument, so Spike took a deep breath and spoke in a clear voice. "He dragged me all over the city, searchin' for the largest vamp nest he could find. Weren't too many of us hangin' about at the time, so the one he found only had a dozen or so. Fledges mostly, like me. Only two were older and not by much. He gave me to them for three days. Told 'em to do whatever they wanted to me as long as I wasn't dusted." His face twisted into a disgusted grimace. "I'll never forget what he told 'em as he settled in to watch. 'Boy needs to learn what rape is. Why don't you show him?'"

Spike's hands clenched into fists that he pounded into the wall at his sides, slightly startling Buffy as he spat out, "As if I didn't already know! He'd already had me for a bleedin' decade… exercisin' his 'Sire's rights' whenever I'd done somethin' wrong or it just took his fancy. Spent a lot of time durin' my 'formative years' on my hands and knees or bent over the nearest horizontal surface with my trousers round my ankles. Son of a bitch always took me dry too. Always." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Couldn't even leave me be when I was in that soddin' wheelchair."

Buffy dropped the shredded bits of wash cloth and stepped through the falling water, reaching up to push her wet hair back before she placed her hands gently on the sides of Spike's head. She peppered his face with kisses then pressed her forehead to his and whispered. "I'm sorry, Spike. I'm sorry I made you relive all that, and I'm sorry about letting Angelus loose that time, but I'm so proud of you… of how strong you are, and the first thing I'm going to do when we leave our room is stake Angel."

Spike's look of shock was almost comical as he sputtered, "Stake the poof?" Buffy nodded with a small smile as Spike looked at her in wonder. "But don't you… I mean, you understand 'bout Dru and I'd understand – don't get me wrong… I won't like it at all – but I'd understand if you still…"

Buffy pressed her lips to his, silencing him, then leaned back. "I don't love him anymore, Spike, I don't think I ever really did, and after what you've just told me, I don't even like him. He's done nothing but cause the both of us pain, and if I could stomach having him around for that long, I'd have you include him in your ceremony. Let him see what it's like on the other side for once, but I just want him gone… and the easiest way is Mr. Pointy."

Spike took a deep breath as his arms snaked around her and pulled her close. "I understand how you feel, luv, but I'd rather you didn't."

Buffy pulled back and looked at him incredulously. "And why the hell not?"

Spike winked. "'Cause what I did to him yesterday will torture the old git a lot longer than a few seconds on the end of a stake or a week hangin' in chains in my Court chamber."

Buffy's brow furrowed. "What did you do to him? How? Last time I checked, you were kinda chained up and nowhere near him." Spike smirked and told her about the claim on Thomas and the fact that Angel was now saddled with Dru and her mate for the foreseeable future. Buffy burst out laughing. "You are evil, Spike… totally evil and totally brilliant. Ok, I won't stake him, but I might beat on him a lot before I kick him in the nuts or something… that all right with you?"

Spike laughed with her then shrugged wearing a wicked grin. "Your call, kitten. Just leave him well enough to drag his fat arse out to his car. Don't want the ponce hangin' about our town any longer than strictly necessary."

Buffy nodded. "Deal." She pulled out of his arms and stepped to the shelf to get a fresh, un-shredded wash cloth then soaped it up and pulled him under the water again, letting it sluice over him before she pulled him out. "Ok, mister, time to get cleaned up."

She laid the wash cloth on his chest and he covered it with his own hand. "I'll do it, luv. I know it bothers you, seein' this, so I'll do it."

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his then whispered, "No, you won't. You're mine, Spike. Mine to take care of… so just let me. Please?"

He nodded and released her hand then stood quietly as she started sliding it gently over his chest. The blood was washing off fairly easily, having been mostly soaked off by his previous few minutes of standing under the water, so it didn't take long for her to finish with his front. She stopped at his waist and lifted a still clean corner of the wash cloth to dab at his face, taking care to keep the soap out of his eyes as she gently slid the cloth over his cheekbones and down along his jaw.

Spike had his eyes closed, so he startled a little when Buffy's lips suddenly pressed against his. Then she was gone, moving around behind him to start scrubbing his back. She again stopped at his waist then quickly scrubbed the few streaks of blood off his arms. The soiled washcloth hit the floor in the corner with a wet plop and she grabbed a fresh one then stood motionless behind him for a few minutes. He felt the cloth hesitantly touch his upper thigh before it was withdrawn and he heard Buffy whisper to herself, "This shouldn't be so difficult. I've done this before…"

He turned to face her, frowning at the anguished look on her face as he reached for the cloth. "I'll get it, luv. You don't have to."

She shook her head and schooled her features into a look of determination. "No. I can do it. I can. It's just… I keep seeing that girl… with the pain and the blood… and then I see you in the same…" She took a deep breath and grasped his hip lightly, pushing to get him to turn around. "I couldn't do anything for her, but I can for you. I can take care of you and clean it all away." The washcloth was on his thigh again, but with firm, sure strokes this time as she cleaned the blood and other bodily fluids off his skin. "You're already healed, and I know that just washing it off won't make it so it didn't happen, but…"

He reached back and grasped the hand that wasn't holding the washcloth in a tight grip. "It helps, Buffy. Knowing that you care… it helps."

She finished cleaning away the evidence of his violation then squatted down behind him and quickly scrubbed his legs. She tossed that washcloth into the corner with the first one as she stood up and turned him to face her again. She snagged the shampoo off the shelf and upended a generous dollop onto Spike's head then started working the suds into his bloody hair. She pulled him under the water to rinse then soaped him up again, nodding in satisfaction when the water ran clear the second time. "Okay, you're hair's clean. Now… only one more spot…"

She generously soaped up her hands and started sliding her fingers through his nest of light brown curls, working the dried blood out. He groaned low in his throat when her fingers wrapped around him and slid over his hardening shaft with slow, smooth strokes while the other hand gently cradled and massaged his velvety sack. "God, pet… you're so good with your hands. Could stand for you to do this all day."

She smiled as she pulled him back under the water. "Thought you said we only had an hour or so… we're probably running out of time."

He groaned again as she maneuvered him over to the bench then pushed on his shoulders to make him straddle it. "I've still got to get cleaned up so you sit right there… and no touching." She stepped under the water and quickly shampooed and conditioned her hair then his lust filled gaze settled over her like a blanket as she stepped over to the shelf and liberally soaped her hands. His hand started twitching toward his straining member as hers were sliding over her soapy breasts, lightly plucking at the nipples, and she clucked her tongue. "No touching… I meant that."

He growled low, the sound echoing around the stall as her hands moved lower, drifting over her belly and down to her thatch of wiry hair, but he kept his hands on the edges of the bench in a white knuckled grip. She stepped back under the spray and lifted one foot to a spot on the bench in front of his knee. His eyes bled amber as two of her fingers disappeared inside her and she threw her head back, the water cascading over her undulating body as she quickly brought herself to climax, his name on her lips as she convulsed around her buried fingers.

Suddenly, his hands were on her hips, drawing her down to impale her on his rock-hard erection. "Evil… you're the evil one, pet." She gripped his shoulders as she lifted herself up then slid slowly down, squeezing him with those wonderful Slayer muscles. His eyes rolled back in his head and his hands tightened on her waist as she continued to ride him, her pace increasing as the pleasure built. He groaned as she massaged his length, squeezing him almost to the point of pain, "So very evil… and so very mine." He slid his hands to her hips and started thrusting up into her, grunting as he flexed his hips and slammed into her over and over.

She could feel herself getting close, so she pulled his head to her neck and whispered, "Bite." She heard the low crunch of shifting bone then his fangs were buried deep in her flesh and she threw her head back with a wail as she came undone all around him. His thrusting increased as she lowered her mouth and bit hard just at the junction of his neck and shoulder. His fangs slipped out of her and he howled, his body tensing as she tasted his blood, coppery and sweet on her tongue. He gripped her hips hard enough to bruise as he pulsed inside her, his head thrown back and the cords in his neck standing out as blood dripped down his chin. He gave one last full body shudder then sagged against her, panting harshly as he lapped gently at the wound on her neck.

Buffy gently licked at the bite mark she'd left and he shuddered again, his hands tightening just a bit on her hips as he whispered against her wet skin, "God, Buffy, what you do to me."

She slipped her hands off his shoulders and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "What?"

His hands slipped up her back and he wrapped her up just as tight. "You bit me, luv. You know how you feel when I bite you?" She nodded and wiggled her hips then smiled as his eyes drifted shut and he groaned. When he opened them, they were blue and filled with so much love that Buffy gasped. He grinned and nipped at her bottom lip. "Well, for a vamp, bein' bitten durin' a shag makes everything you're feelin' more powerful and intense, just like my bite does for you."

Buffy slid her hands into his sopping curls and pulled him into a bruising kiss as the water cascading over them started to cool. She pulled back with a small shiver and a smile. "So, you liked it? You wouldn't mind if I did it again?"

Spike chuckled low in his chest as he lifted her off him and set her gently on her feet. "Loved it, pet, and no, I wouldn't mind a bit." He stood and stretched languorously then turned off the water. "In fact, you'll have to bite me for the mating ritual."

Buffy's smile widened as she took his hand and tugged him out of the shower stall. "Guess it's a good thing that I liked it too, huh?" She stopped and turned around with a small laugh. "You know, when I was first called, I never would have thought that I'd end up all with the mutual biting. And liking it." She pulled Spike into a hug as she nipped at her mark on his neck. "I'm such a bad little Slayer, aren't I? All with the vamp lovin' and biting and everything."

Spike nuzzled against his mark with a satisfied grin. "And you're my bad little Slayer. All mine." Buffy shivered again and he let her go, reaching over to snag a large fluffy towel off the towel warmer that was standing next to the shower stall.

Buffy sighed as he wrapped the heated towel around her, the warmth seeping into her chilled flesh. "Have I mentioned how used to this I could get? We should so move in here."


	50. Chapter 50  Entertainment

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty – Entertainment

"You don't want to stay at the house? What 'bout your mum? Your memories of her are all tied up there, aren't they?"

"Yeah, some of them are, but it's not like we're gonna tear it down or anything. And even if we did, it's just a house." Buffy snaked one arm loose from the towel and tapped her head. "I still have her here." She laid her hand over her heart. "And here. So it doesn't matter where I am, she's still with me and she'd want me to go on living and be happy, not keep myself tied to the past."

Spike tucked her arm back inside the towel and grabbed another one, draping it over her head. "If you're sure, pet. I'll live wherever you are. 'M not picky."

Buffy smiled at him as he quickly dried himself off then wrapped the towel around his waist, taking a smaller one to dry his hair. "I know that, Crypt Boy, and I'm sure. Besides, you should be living in your big old mansion, Mr. Master of the Hellmouth, not in a damp and drafty basement." She winked at him as he scrubbed his curls, making them stand up wildly all over his head. "And then you can be my sugar daddy 'cause you're all with the barrels of cash." Spike's eyes widened and Buffy giggled. "Well, you are older than me… like way way way old…"

She squeaked as Spike suddenly wrapped her up in his arms, growling against her neck just above the collar, "Not in human years, pet. 'M only seven years older than you."

Buffy giggled, "So? You're totally ancient, Spike. I mean, you were born before there were even cars or electricity! Old, old, old."

He stepped back with a laugh and held his arms out, spinning in a slow circle. "But I look good for my age, don't I?"

Buffy nodded vigorously, the towel that Spike had draped over her head sliding to the floor. "Oh yeah. You're completely yummy… for an old dead man." She smirked at him as he stepped to the sink with a chuckle and opened the medicine cabinet, rummaging around until he came up with a bottle of gel. "Exactly how old are you, anyway?"

"I'll be a hundred and sixty this year. Twenty-eight years as a human and a hundred and thirty two as a vampire."

"When's your birthday?"

He turned and looked at her, his fingers buried in his gel covered curls. "What?"

Buffy smiled as she bent to retrieve the towel from the floor. "Your birthday. You know, the day you were born or hatched or whatever? They did have calendars back then, didn't they?"

Spike grinned and resumed applying gel to his hair. "Yeah, 'm not quite that old, luv. It's August 20, 1852."

Buffy wrapped one towel around her dripping hair then started drying herself off with the other one. "We'll have a party. Maybe at the Bronze." She bent to dry her legs and froze, looking up at Spike. "It's still there, right? The Bronze?"

Spike chuckled. "Yeah, still there. Not quite the same as you remember, though. It's owned by a demon now, cousin of Clem's. Remember how they'd remodeled the bloomin' onion right off the menu after Anya's little troll incident?" Buffy nodded with a small smile as she took the towel off her head and started scrubbing her hair with it. "Well, it's back." He smirked over his shoulder as he turned to face the sink. "Bein' Master does have its perks every now and again." He popped the gel back into the cabinet then turned to lean on the counter. "And thanks for wantin' to give me a party, but I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Buffy wrapped the towel tightly around her body and stepped up in front of the other sink, eyeing the tangled mess sitting atop her head. "Why not? Just because my birthday parties are always cursed doesn't mean yours will be. Do you have a brush or something?"

Spike opened the drawer under her sink and pulled out a black brush then handed it to her with a shrug. "Just never had a party for my birthday before."

Buffy's hand stilled, the bristles of the brush tangled in her wet hair. "What? You've **never** had a party? Ever? Why not?"

He shrugged again, pulling a toothbrush and toothpaste out of the cabinet. "Just wasn't done by people of our social standing when I was alive. Mum always made the day special by takin' me somewhere or havin' Cook make somethin' nice for dinner, but an all out party would've been considered crass and tacky. And most vampires don't give a toss 'bout their human birth. Some celebrate their death day, but not many."

Buffy dragged the brush through her hair then plopped it onto the counter with a definitive smack. "Well, you're having a party this year and that's final."

Spike smirked around the toothbrush in his mouth and mumbled, "Yes, ma'am," then vamped out and started scrubbing his fangs.

Buffy was watching herself in the mirror as she brushed her teeth with the brand new toothbrush Spike had pulled out of the cabinet when something struck her. She leaned down to spit out the foam then looked up at Spike. "Why are there mirrors in here? And a toilet and bidet?"

Spike shrugged, "Why wouldn't there be? 'S a loo, innit?"

Buffy rinsed off her toothbrush and stashed it inside the cabinet then swished out her mouth and stood up with a smirk. "Well, yeah… but you don't really need those things, being all with the vampiness, and since this is **your** 'big bad vampire lair' I'm just wondering why you have them."

Spike took a sudden interest in his bare toes as he muttered, "It's all for you."

"Me? But I wasn't even here when…"

"Knew you'd be back eventually, Slayer."

"Ok, I get that, but why would you think I'd move in here when I came back? I have a house."

Spike shrugged. "Figured once you found out 'bout me bein' Master, you'd dust me and tap Peaches to take over 'cause he's all soulful and I'm not. So I told Harris to fix up the suite so you'd be comfortable when you moved in here with the Poof."

Buffy stepped into his line of sight and reached out to lift his chin. "You really thought I'd dust you? God, Spike, I've never been able to dust you, even when you were all large with the trying to kill me. Yeah, I threatened you with it a lot, but I could've never done it. And me moving in with Angel? Um… no. Did I mention the whole not even liking him thing?"

Spike muttered, "Yeah, **now**, but back when you disappeared…"

Buffy shook her head. "No, not even then. I'd been over him for ages… well, maybe not **ages**, but long enough. We both knew we'd never work and we'd both moved on, or at least I had. Besides, he made a career out of leaving me for my own good." She stepped closer and cradled Spike's face in her hands. "And when you figured out that you loved me you never left me… never. My Dad left, Angel left, Riley left, even Giles left, but you stayed. You always stay. Even when I wasn't here you still stayed. It's what you do. And I think we already covered this, didn't we? When Giles came over?"

"Yeah."

Buffy leaned in and brushed her lips across his. "Yeah."

"So me not havin' a soul doesn't bother you?"

Buffy beamed a smile at him and said, "Nope," popping the 'p' at the end. She backed up a step and crossed her arms over her chest wearing a thoughtful look on her face. "What did Angel do for the first hundred years after he was cursed? Hmmm? He pouted and brooded and felt sorry for himself until Whistler showed up and pointed him at me. And thanks a freaking lot for that, Whistler. Remind me to punch him the next time I see him."

Spike chuckled as she took a deep breath and smiled. "Anyway, you got chipped what, thirteen years ago? And in that short amount of time you've helped save the world from a skanky Hellgod and made living on the Hellmouth the safest for humans it's probably ever been. You even helped save the world from Angel **before** you were chipped, so yeah… you don't need a soul, Spike. You're a better man without a soul than Angel is with one. And me thinking that is probably another check mark in the 'Slayer bad' column on the Council scoreboard, but I don't give a crap. And now I'm done talking about it." She stepped toward the door with an evil glint in her eye. "I'm so ready to get all 'Slayer bad' on Angel's souled up ass, so let's go."

Spike stood staring at her for a few seconds with a look of utter wonder on his face then he shook himself and stepped up behind her, chuckling as he covered her eyes again and guided her through the bedroom. Once the doors were closed she opened her eyes and gasped. Spike's duster was draped over the back of the couch. Spike's **clean** duster. She whirled and gaped at him. "They came in there while we were… naked?" The last word came out in an embarrassed squeak.

"Just Kt'lid."

"But… we were…"

"Starkers. Yeah."

"When? Did he see…"

"Us shaggin'? No. He came in right after we'd gotten into the shower, when I was huggin' you, and he didn't see anythin', pet, 'cept my shiny, white bum, not that he'd care anyway. His focus was on gatherin' up our clothes and takin' 'em to be cleaned, well, my duster anyway. Your kit was ruined, but…" He stepped around the couch and chuckled, "Little bugger knows my tastes, that's for sure," then reached down and picked up a tiny red tank top and a black leather miniskirt, holding them up for Buffy to see. She took one look and burst out laughing. Spike looked at the clothes he was holding then back over at the giggling Slayer. "What's so funny?"

"You're gonna look really cute in that outfit, Spike. Go ahead and put it on, I want to see."

Spike growled as he tossed the clothes at her. "Ha bloody ha, Slayer. They're for you, not me."

Buffy caught the clothes as she shook her head. "I'm not going to wear this. It's a Bronzing outfit, not a hang around the house and talk about the whatever's after me outfit. Plus, I can't pound on Angel in this." She tossed the clothes back onto the couch. "Is there anything else I can wear?"

Spike smirked and stepped toward the bedroom doors. "Wouldn't be the first time you've fought in togs like that, kitten, but I think I can find somethin' else."

XX

XXXX

XX

Dru breezed into Angel's room without knocking and held up her hands, brushing one index finger sharply over the other in a 'shame on you' gesture. "Sunshine is cross, she is. Mad with Daddy. Daddy was naughty and mean, hurt the Sunshine's bright boy, he did." Drusilla giggled gleefully and clapped her hands together, bouncing on her toes in front of Angel's chair. "Ooooh… Daddy's gonna get it…"

Angel frowned as he looked up from the half-empty glass of Glenfiddich he'd been staring at for the last hour, contemplating it like it held the answers to his current situation. "What, Dru? Hell, do you ever make any kind of sense? I have no idea how Spike put up with you for over a century without going crazy himself."

Thomas smirked at the back of Angel's head as he entered the room then wiped his face into a bland mask as he stepped into Angel's line of sight, lowering his eyes in respect. He stood silently next to Angel's chair, his hands clasped behind his back as he waited for permission to speak. Angel grunted, "Out with it, boy. You understand her babbling, what the hell is she talking about?"

"The Slayer is upset over something you did to Master Spike, Sire."

Angel's brow furrowed in confusion. "Spike? I've barely spoken to him since he was freed. What could I possibly have done to him that Buffy would be upset about?"

Thomas shook his head, "I don't know, Sire, but I'm guessing it wasn't something that happened recently."

Angel sighed and leaned his head back on the chair, closing his eyes as images of some of the more 'inventive' punishments Angelus had visited upon a fledgling William passed through his mind. "Well, if she wants to be pissed off about something Angelus did to William then she's got a lot of somethings to choose from. Just like that boy to start running his mouth. He never could shut up for more than five minutes."

Spike smirked from the doorway. "Oi, Peaches! I'll have you know I can keep my gob shut for almost ten minutes at a stretch nowadays."

Angel jumped to his feet and spun to face the door just in time to see a livid Buffy step through, the fists clenched at her sides not quite hidden inside the sleeves of one of Spike's button down shirts. He held up his hands and backed up a step. "Now, Buffy… I don't know what he's been telling you, but all that happened a long time ago and it wasn't me."

Buffy looked at Thomas then nodded at Dru. "Take her and get out."

Thomas glanced at Angel, asking for permission, and Angel nodded tersely. "Do as she says, boy."

Thomas scrambled over to Dru and latched onto her arm then started dragging her toward the door. Dru was pulling furiously against his grip as she whined, "But I want to watch Daddy get his comeuppance! Naughty boys need punishment!"

Thomas pulled harder even as he spoke to Dru in a soothing voice, much like the one Spike had cultivated over decades of handling the woman's many quirks of insanity. Spike nodded his approval at Thomas and got a quick smile in return as he pulled the door shut behind the still protesting vampire.

Angel opened his mouth to speak just as the door thumped shut and Buffy angrily held up her hand. "Save it, Angel. I've already heard all your excuses." She started sing-songing in a whiny high-pitched voice, "It was Angelus… I didn't have a soul… Spike's evil… we're vampires…" Her voice dropped to its normal register. "Blah, blah, blah."

She took a step forward and Angel tiredly hung his head. "Fine. Do whatever you feel you need to, Buffy, but it won't change what happened." He threw a glare at Spike then looked at Buffy. "I don't know why you're angry about any of it anyway. It happened decades ago, long before you were even born, and besides, Spike's over it." He looked at Spike. "Aren't you?"

Spike shrugged nonchalantly, not about to let Angel know that it still bothered him even after all this time. "Yeah. Have been for a while now, mate. Still doesn't mean I wouldn't accept an apology, which you've never seen fit to give, even after you had that buggerin' soul shoved up your arse. You apologized more to Red for killin' her bleedin' fish than you ever have to me for any of the shite you put me through."

Buffy glared at Angel. "And I'm angry about it because I love him, you dumbass." She tilted her head and ran her fingers over the collar then lightly touched Spike's mark. "You haven't seen this yet, have you? Well, take a good look. You know what it means and you also know I wouldn't have accepted it if I didn't love him."

Angel eyes went wide as they glued themselves to Buffy's neck and he almost shrieked, "He Claimed you? You let Spike Claim you?"

Buffy smirked at Angel's thunderstruck expression. "Yes, I did, and we're gonna be mated soon." She cut her eyes to Spike and smiled. "Very soon."

More sputtering, "But it's **Spike!** He's…"

Buffy held up her hand again, cutting him off. "The man I love. Deal. It's none of your business and I'm not discussing it with you anymore. Besides, still mad here." Angel's eyes narrowed as Buffy took a menacing step forward. "Just because something happened before I was born doesn't mean I can't be mad about it if it happened to the man I love. And not everything happened before I was born, Angel. I guess Giles and Jenny weren't the only ones you hurt during that whole trying to suck the world into hell thing, were they? Did it make you feel all big and manly to rape Spike while he was in that wheelchair?"

Angel's face twisted into a very Angelus-like sneer as he ignored Buffy and focused on Spike. "So you're just gonna let a little girl fight your battles, boyo? Not enough of a demon to take me on yourself? Always knew you were weak, William."

Spike shrugged again, totally unfazed by Angel's taunts. "Strong enough to Claim a Slayer, now wasn't I? And if she wants to pound on you a bit, who am I to tell her no? 'Sides, it's quite refreshin' to have someone put me first for a change, be angry on my behalf." He threw his most insolent smirk at the elder vampire, a smirk that in the good old days would've been guaranteed to push every one of Angelus's buttons and result in an extra long 'punishment' session. "You know, 'Gelus, watchin' her kick your arse was highly entertainin' the last time it happened; don't know why it wouldn't be this time." He winked at Buffy. "Well, pet… here we are now… entertain us."

Buffy grinned and rolled up the sleeves of Spike's shirt, giving Angel a good look at the cuffs around her wrists, then tied the tails into a knot that sat just above her belly button. "Entertainment I can do. I'm all Entertainment Buffy." She nodded toward the chair that Angel had been sitting in as she reached out and plucked the forgotten glass of Glenfiddich from his hand then gave it to Spike. "Have a seat and get comfortable, Blondie. This could take a while."


	51. Chapter 51  Like a Rug

I do apologize for the long wait between chapters. I am working on this story and I promise to finish it, but my muse is being a rather impertinent little pill at the moment. I want to say thank you to everyone who has hung in and alerted or reviewed. You guys make writing fun and without your encouragement, I probably wouldn't write at all, so thanks again.

Also, I hadn't planned on writing the Angel beat down scene, but a few of you asked for one, so I put one together. I hope I did it justice.–

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty One – Like a Rug

Angel watched with unbelieving eyes as Spike flopped into the chair, lazily draping one leg over the arm before downing Angel's half-drunk glass of Glenfiddich in one gulp. He sputtered indignantly as Spike refilled the glass and took a sip, "You're really going to just sit there?"

Spike smirked up at Angel, another button pushing smirk, and nodded. "Yep. Got nowhere else to be just now. 'Sides, I expect to be entertained forthwith." He threw another wink at Buffy and she smiled back.

Angel was about to say something else when Buffy's small fist slammed into his nose, causing him to stumble back a few steps. Spike winced slightly in sympathy, having been on the receiving end of that particular punch more times than he cared to count, then he chuckled quietly, "Always go for the nose, don't you, pet?"

Buffy grinned over at him. "Always shut you up, didn't it?"

Spike nodded. "That it did, luv, but I think you went a bit easier on the poofter there than you ever did on me. The crunching noise seemed a bit louder when it was my nose…" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Although, could be 'cause I was hearin' it from the inside and outside at the same time."

Buffy grinned just a little wider then popped Angel in the nose again. "How was that?"

Spike gave an amused nod. "Better, pet. Heard it loud and clear that time." He motioned toward the glowering vampire who was using the sleeve of his expensive silk shirt to wipe blood from his nose. "Please continue."

Buffy glanced at Angel then smirked at Spike. "What next?"

Angel opened his mouth to speak again but Spike spoke before he could manage a sound. "Throat. That'll keep the wanker quiet for a bit."

Buffy immediately punched Angel in the throat then grabbed his head and slammed it into her knee before he even had the chance to clutch at his neck. He staggered backwards as soon as she let go then was spun around and dropped to his knees when her boot connected with the side of his head in a high kick.

Spike took a leisurely sip from his glass and snorted. "You can fight back, you know. Ponce."

Angel shook his head as he sat back on his haunches and rested his hands on his thighs. He coughed a few times and his voice was scratchy and rough when he murmured, "No. I'm not going to fight her."

Spike snorted again. "Why not? She's the Slayer, you nit. Chit loves to fight and she's thumped nasties a helluva lot scarier 'n you, so you'd better check to see if you've still got your wrinklies then get off your arse and give the girl what she wants for once in your miserable existence."

Angel nodded slightly, even though it severely grated on his nerves to agree with anything Spike said, then he rolled his shoulders and climbed slowly to his feet, turning to face Buffy. He closed his eyes for several seconds to steady and center himself then dropped into a fighting stance. Buffy smiled and bent down to snag the edge of the coffee table, dragging it over next to the wall. Spike got out of his chair and started pushing it in the same direction, pulling the small side table along with him. When the floor was cleared and Spike was comfortably sprawled across the chair again, Buffy turned to face Angel and raised her fists, bobbing lightly on the balls of her feet. "All right, Angel. Let's do this."

Angel launched himself at the small woman with a snarl, fists and feet flying. He caught her in the ribs with a well placed kick and she grunted as she stumbled sideways and blocked a punch. She dropped and swung her leg out, knocking Angel's right foot out from under him just as the left one went sailing over her head. He hit the floor with a loud thud and she raised her boot, bringing the heel crashing down on his sternum in a blow that would've killed a human. He folded up and rolled away from her, springing to his feet as he rubbed his chest.

They circled each other in the small space, feinting punches and kicks as they sized each other up. She faked left then darted under Angel's outstretched arm, landing several vicious rabbit punches to his ribs and belly before backing off and launching another round house kick at his head. He flew across the room and landed in a heap then slid into Spike's chair, knocking it against the wall. Spike licked a few drops of scotch off his hand then reached down and thumped Angel in the forehead as he chuckled, "C'mon, Peaches, now's not the time to be snoozin'. Up and at 'em."

Angel sat up and scowled at Spike's amused smile then got back to his feet just in time to take another kick to the head. He was spun around again and a kick to his lower back sent him crashing headfirst into the fireplace, cracking the stone and sending the logs flying. He was still for a few minutes then he slowly rolled over and sat up, brushing ashes and bits of wood out of his hair and off his clothes.

Buffy was lounging against the wall inspecting her fingernails as Angel climbed once again to his feet and assumed a fighting stance. She looked up at him then took a few steps forward as she smiled. "You want some more?"

Angel snarled and charged across the room, intending to tackle her to the floor. Buffy tensed almost imperceptibly as she waited, then spun out of the way at the last possible second. As he barreled past her, she planted her hands in the middle of his back and shoved with all her might, sending him crashing into the wall with a loud bang and leaving an Angel shaped dent in the drywall. He bounced off and landed flat on his back in the middle of the floor and she put her hands on her hips as she pouted, "Oh, come on! How freaking old are you? I've battled fledges fresh out of the ground that put up more of a fight!"

Spike chuckled from his chair as he sat up and patted his thigh, "His heart's not in it, luv. Doesn't have the proper motivation."

Buffy looked at Spike then smirked at the fallen vampire as her eyes twinkled, "Motivation? Yeah, okay." She strode purposefully across the room and straddled Spike's lap, immediately pulling him into a heated kiss. The glass he'd been clutching fell to the floor with a muffled thump as his hands slipped under her shirt, sliding against her soft skin and pulling a moan from her throat. Her fingers tangled in his hair and pulled his mouth to her neck, placing it directly over his mark as she breathily whispered, "Do it, Spike. Show him that I'm yours."

Spike's possessive growl and the low crunch of shifting bone were all the warning Buffy got before his fangs were buried in her throat. His amber eyes met Angel's furious glare over her shoulder as he pulled two mouthfuls then slipped his fangs out with a snarled, "Mine!"

Buffy's whispered, "Yours," was almost buried in the sounds of Angel scrambling to his feet as Spike quickly sealed the bite. He slipped his hands out of Buffy's shirt with a wink and a nod just as Angel's hand wrapped around her arm and jerked her off his lap. She flew across the room, flipping once in the air as she silently thanked the original builders of the mansion for the high ceilings. She landed lightly just in front of the fireplace and dropped immediately into a fighting stance. "Guess that was enough motivation to get you to fight for real, huh, Angelus?"

His response was a fangy roar as he spun and launched himself at Spike, straddling him and pinning the smaller vampire to the chair as he proceeded to pummel anything within reach of his fists. He managed to get in half a dozen hits before Spike bucked up, shoving him off just as Buffy's small hand twisted into the back of his shirt and tossed him across the room. He didn't flip gracefully through the air like she had, though. He plowed through it like a stampeding bull and crashed into the fireplace with a pained grunt.

Buffy quickly checked Spike over, her simmering anger suddenly flaring brightly into rage as she took in the fresh cut on his cheekbone and the bruises blooming on his face. He smiled crookedly at her and nodded toward the fireplace with a murmured, "Let 'im have it, Slayer."

Buffy nodded and stomped across the room. She reached down and fisted her hand in Angel's shirt then lifted him out of the pile of splintered logs and slammed him into the wall beside the fireplace. "What is wrong with you?" A hard punch to the gut. "Who the hell do you think you are?" An uppercut to his chin that sent his head crashing back into the wall. "Why do you think you can pound on my boyfriend every time you show up here?" A sharp jab to the ribs.

Angel was gasping in pain as he held up his hands. "I only want what's best for you, Buffy, and that little bleached idiot isn't it. You need to…"

"You don't get to tell me what I need!" She punched him viciously in the gut and he doubled over.

Angel slowly straightened back up then slumped against the wall clutching his belly. "He'll only end up hurting you, Buffy, and you deserve better than that monster. Just stake him and be done with it. If you don't, I will."

Buffy snarled and lashed out with her full strength, slamming her small fists into Angel's ribs and stomach. "You." Punch "Are." Punch "Not." Punch "The." Punch "Boss." Punch "Of." Punch "Me!" She stepped back and Angel pitched forward, crashing to the carpet face first. Buffy waited while he pushed himself to his knees then back to his feet, swaying slightly, and held up her hand before he could speak. "A. – He's not a monster, not anymore, and he was only a monster because you and Drusilla made him that way. Even **you**, as clueless as you are, had to have noticed how he acts when he's not around you two. Once he figured out how to be his own vampire and got out from under your thumbs, he stopped acting like a monster, didn't he? B. – I love him and I know he'd die before he did anything to hurt me. And C. – **Nobody** is going to stake him, especially not you." She crossed her arms over her chest and stood staring at him as she nodded over her shoulder at a silent and awed Spike. "Now, don't you have something you want to say to him? Something that sounds like _'I'm sorry I tortured and raped you for years and years?'_ Hmmm?"

Angel glanced over at Spike then stubbornly shook his head and Buffy sighed, "Kinda what I thought. You're never going to apologize to him, are you?" Angel shook his head again and Buffy sighed louder, "Because you don't think **you** did anything wrong. It wasn't **you**, it was Angelus. Right?"

Angel hesitantly nodded and Buffy sadly shook her head. "You're never going to figure it out, are you? There is no you and Angelus, you idiot! You're the same freaking person! Your soul is pretty much the same as Spike's chip, but at least **he** never tried to push off what he'd done before he got it by whining, _'It wasn't me, it was chipless Spike'_ like you do Every. Single. Time. somebody brings up something from your past. **You** did those things, Angel. YOU. Own up to it. Deal with it." She took a small step forward, dropping her arms and clenching her hands into fists. "And apologize to him. Now."

Angel raised his eyes to hers and forcefully shook his head, opening his mouth to say that he'd dust before he ever apologized to Spike, but she was on him before he could get a word out, landing rage-powered punches and kicks as she beat the large vampire like a rug.


	52. Chapter 52  Scrubbing Knickers

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Two – Scrubbing Knickers

Buffy stepped out of the small bathroom holding a wet washcloth and walked over to Spike. She gently cleaned the blood from his already healed cheek then wiped a spray of blood from her own cheek when Spike pointed it out. She prodded the vampire on the floor with the toe of her boot, eliciting a pained groan as she started scrubbing the blood from her hands. "I seem to remember him being a lot tougher than this."

Spike shrugged then saluted his battered and bloody grandsire with the last of the Glenfiddich. "You're older and more experienced than you were the last time you two had a scrap, pet, and this time you **were** a bit hacked off. It's been my experience that you hit a fair amount harder when you're angry. 'Sides, the tosser's gotten soft in his old age. Been livin' so high on the hog at that law firm of his that he's forgotten what it means to be a vampire."

Angel coughed and spat a glob of blood on the floor then sneered up at Spike. "What, like you, _Master Spike?_ Protecting a town full of humans? Pretending to be good? That's what it means to be a vampire? You're the most pathetic excuse for a vampire I've ever met and I should've staked you the second Dru brought you to the lair."

"Oooh, almost forgot." Buffy landed a vicious kick to Angel's groin, putting all her Slayer strength behind it, and he howled in agony then curled into a trembling ball, gently cradling himself. "You don't get to talk to him like that, Angel. If you're not going to apologize then you can at least show him the respect he's earned."

Spike leaned down and fisted his hand in Angel's hair, wrenching his head back as he snarled, "And I'm not pretendin', you git. Least I'm not doin' it 'cause I'm expectin' to be rewarded." He smirked as Angel's eyes widened. "Yeah, I've heard 'bout your little prophecy. Do enough good deeds and you get to become a real boy."

Angel gasped, "Then why **are** you doing it, Spike?"

"Because I'm not like you, Angel, I never was. No matter how many times you tried to beat and rape it out of me, I still have my humanity. And yeah, I could go your route, get my soul and go about fightin' the good fight, hopin' that I'll somehow manage to balance the scales, maybe even tip 'em in my favor, but what would be the point? I know where I'm headed when I dust and I know that nothin' I do is gonna change that, no matter how many people I help or protect. Doesn't mean I'm gonna stop."

"But that doesn't make any sense. **You** don't make any sense. You don't have a soul so you shouldn't care about any of these people, these demons, this town. I just don't understand you, William."

Spike released his hair with a shove then wiped his hand on his jeans as he stood up. "You never have, but as Xan would say, 'I'm so large with the not caring.' I'm not gonna waste my breath explainin' myself to you, 'Gelus. You may be older than me and the Sire of my Sire, but you have no control over me, not anymore. I'm a Master with a proper court and you're not, so that puts me above you in Clan status, even if I haven't taken advantage of it."

Angel mumbled into the blood-soaked carpet as Spike reached for Buffy's hand and started out of the room. "You have a court full of peaceful demons. A real Master wouldn't allow lower level demons into their court, Spike. You're no Master."

Spike stopped then turned to face the vampire still holding himself on the floor. "Yeah, I am, and I'm tellin' you, as Master, that as long as you're gonna act like a complete tit, you're not welcome in my territory, family or not. So, soon as you're able, get your fat arse off the floor, collect Dru and Thomas, and get the bloody hell out of my town." He let go of Buffy's hand and took a step forward. "And you make damn certain you take proper care of her, you hear? Thomas as well. I'll be keepin' tabs, and if I hear that you're shirkin' your responsibility, I'll be payin' you a visit." He squatted down next to Angel and fisted his hand in his hair again, jerking his head up as he snarled, "We both know I'm the better fighter out of the pair of us and since I learned all 'bout torture at your knee, I don't think you want to be pissin' me off, yeah?" He stood and wiped his hand on his jeans again. "Be seein' you, Peaches."

"You don't deserve her."

Spike glanced at Buffy then smiled down at Angel. "I'm not stupid, you pillock. I'm fully aware that I don't deserve her – not in the least – but I've got her, and that's just somethin' you're gonna have to learn to deal with. She's mine and I'm hers. Period. Don't need your approval or blessin' or any of that rot. I've not made a thing of it, me bein' head of the Aurelian line now instead of you – basically because I don't need the headache – but you keep pushin' me and I will. You exist because I allow it, Angelus, and you'd do well to ease up on the Nancy Boy hair gel long enough to let that bit of truth penetrate your thick skull. Now sod off 'fore I put a minion claim on you and set you to scrubbin' the whelp's knickers."

Spike snorted at Angel's scathing glare then took Buffy's hand and led her over the threshold, pulling the door closed behind him. He nodded at something down the hall then said quietly, "Billy's just woken, luv."

Buffy nodded and managed to hold in her giggles for almost three steps as she followed Spike down the hall away from Angel's room. "You could really make him wash Xander's underwear? How would that even work?"

Spike shrugged with a low chuckle that sounded decidedly evil. "I could claim him like he claimed Thomas, 'cept instead of elevatin' his status, I'd demote him to minion." Another evil chuckle. "He'd have to do whatever I ordered him to."

"And he'd be your minion forever?"

Spike shook his head. "No, that type of claim would only last a couple of months unless I renewed it, but I don't think I could stand havin' him underfoot even that long, 's why I haven't done it. He's irritatin' enough in LA, probably drive me to stake him if I had to deal with the wanker day in and day out. And he does have his uses – takin' care of the Aurelian funds for one, and keepin' the LA demon hordes under control since there's not a proper court there."

"I'm sorry I couldn't get him to apologize."

Spike shrugged. "No worries, luv. Never expected him to. Was still quite satisfyin' to have him on the receivin' end of a beatin', though." He smiled hugely and wrapped his arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to his side. "Havin' me bite you in front of him made my demon immensely happy too, by the way. Thanks for that."

Buffy sighed as they stopped just outside Billy's room. "He's not gonna let it go, is he? Us being together."

Spike shrugged again as Buffy pushed open the door. "Probably not, but it doesn't matter. He can brood 'till the end of days, but he can't **do** anythin' about it. I've Claimed you… again…"

"The biting thing was a Claim? I thought we had to be… um…"

"Shaggin'?" Buffy blushed adorably as she nodded and Spike grinned. "It works both ways, pet. Don't need to say anythin' durin' a shaggin' Claim 'cause you're already intimately joined, but it's not necessary to be in the act to do a Claim. Just bitin' you and sayin' the words does the same thing. And havin' one of my line witness it makes the Claim stronger, by the way."

"So we're even more engaged now?"

"Yeah, and once we're Mated it's an unbreakable bond." He grinned toothily. "So Peaches can go pound sand."

She pulled him through the door then pressed him up against the wall, attacking his lips with her own. "Good. And we're doing it, just as soon as we figure out the whole Dru vision thing." Spike opened his mouth and Buffy's finger landed on his lips. "No arguments, Mister. I am going to be Mrs. William the freaking Bloody before the end of this month. Period. So we'd better figure this out soon."

"Yes, ma'am." Spike smirked behind her finger. "Bossy little bint, aren't you?"

Buffy lifted her hand away from his mouth with a laugh and held her thumb and index finger about half an inch apart. "Maybe a little bit."

Spike reached for her wrists and pulled her arms wide, just as wide as they would go. "Maybe a lot bit."

"Shut up, Spike." Buffy smacked him lightly on the chest then turned toward the bed to see Billy leaning against the headboard looking at them with wide eyes. "Hey, Billy, how are you feeling?"

He glanced quickly around the room, his eyes pausing on Spike for a few seconds before he dropped them to his lap. "Uh… good, I guess. Where am I?"

Buffy stepped up next to the bed and nodded back over her shoulder. "Spike's mansion."

Billy's eyes cut to Spike then away and he whispered, "Oh," before he dragged his gaze away from his lap and focused on a spot just to the left of Spike's head. "I'm sorry for being here, sir, and I'll go just as soon as I can walk, unless you want me to leave now."

Spike tilted his head as he moved over to stand behind Buffy, laying his hands on her shoulders. "Now why would you think I want you to leave?"

Billy stuttered, "Because I… Sire and Nathan? I helped them…"

Spike snarled, "Ok, first off… That useless wanker Finn is NOT your Sire, Drusilla is, so I don't ever want to hear you refer to him that way again. Second, from what I gather, you didn't do anythin' of your own free will, yeah? You were either coerced or ordered to do the things you did?" Billy nodded hesitantly. "So, from where I stand, you're not to blame for doin' what you had to do to survive. And like Dru said, she made you for a reason and that reason is to help protect my lady here, so you're not goin' anywhere 'till we get this mess sorted."

Billy's eyes widened so much that his eyeballs were in danger of falling right out of his head as he squeaked, "Me? Protect **her**? But…"

Spike held up his hand. "Don't know all the particulars just yet, but Dru's had a vision and you played a big part in it."

Buffy turned and looked up at Spike. "Yeah, about that. You said you'd try to talk to her… find out…" She nodded toward Billy and mouthed, "if he dies."

Spike nodded and cocked an ear toward the doorway. "All right, pet, I will. The poofter's still lyin' on the floor holdin' his goolies, so it'll be a bit 'fore they leave."

He pushed Buffy forward a couple of steps as he looked over his shoulder and Buffy blinked when a 32-inch flat screen television appeared from behind Spike, carried by Kt'lid. A DVD player with a game system, controllers, and remotes stacked on top followed it, carried by what could only be Kt'lid's mate. Buffy watched as they positioned the items on the dresser and hooked them up then she turned to look at Billy. He was sitting there with wide eyes and an open mouth and Buffy giggled, thinking about how it must look to him. She reached out and gently patted his unbroken leg as she spoke quietly, "It's ok, Billy. That stuff isn't moving on its own, there's a couple of demons carrying it that are invisible to anyone but Spike because he's their Master. I can see them a little because I'm the Slayer, but they're all blurry."

Billy nodded faintly as his eyes tracked the stack of game and DVD cases that seemed to float across the room to settle on the dresser next to the game system. He pushed himself shakily toward the middle of the bed when the game controllers and remotes floated toward the night table, landing on it with a small thump.

Spike chuckled as the door closed behind the tiny demons. "That stuff look all right to you, Billy? Thought you'd need something to pass the time while your leg finishes healin' and we work on gettin' you to full strength."

Billy glanced up at Spike then dropped his gaze to his lap again. "Um, ok… uh…" He peeked up at Spike. "Why are you doing this for me, sir?"

Spike tilted his head again, looking at Billy curiously. "Don't you know who I am? Didn't Dru tell you?"

Billy's eyes were glued to the blanket covering his legs as he seemed to pull in on himself, trying to make himself smaller as he whispered, "No, sir. She's only spoken to me twice; right before she turned me and when you were… um… and she didn't say anything that made much sense the day she turned me. I did hear one of the minions say that you're one of the strongest vampires he'd ever heard about, but that's not what Si… uh." He flinched slightly and shot a nervous glance at Spike before he continued in an even quieter whisper, "Mr. Finn said."

Spike moved to the chair in the corner and dragged it over next to the bed then dropped down into it, pulling out a cigarette and lighting up. "What exactly did _Mr. Finn_ say 'bout me?"

Billy blanched, not wanting to repeat the things he'd heard when nobody thought he was listening, but he'd been conditioned to immediately respond to any question asked by a vampire or risk severe punishment, so he opened his mouth and managed to croak out, "He said you were weak and stupid and useless for anything except babysitting Mistress Drusilla and providing _entertainment_ for him and the minions."

Billy flinched violently when Spike suddenly sat forward, anger rolling off him in waves, and his stomach clenched painfully as he realized that he was about to pay for insulting the obviously powerful master vampire. Even though Billy had only been repeating what he'd heard – at Spike's request, no less – he was quite used to being punished for any reason or no reason at all, so he started scooting toward the edge of the bed, intending to kneel at the feet of his superior where he belonged. He started begging as he moved, just like he'd been taught, "I'm sorry, Master… please punish me… I..I deserve it… I w..want it. Please."

He'd almost made it off the bed when Spike's hands grasped his shoulders and pushed him back against the pillows. "Billy…" The small vampire cringed away from him, clearly expecting to be struck, and Spike released him, looking to Buffy as he backed away. "Kitten?"

She nodded and stepped toward the head of the bed, settling next to Billy's hip as she laid her hands gently on his arms, lightly applying pressure to keep him in place. "Billy, calm down. Spike isn't going to hurt you, okay? Nobody in this house is going to hurt you, I promise."

Billy was trembling hard enough that his teeth were chattering as he whispered, "But I deserve it, don't I? I made him angry. I'm always punished when a Master is angry."

Buffy pulled the frightened vampire into a hug, rubbing soothing circles on his back as she murmured quietly, "You didn't do anything wrong, you just answered his question, and yes, he's angry, but not at you. He's pissed at Riley. That idiot is the one he wants to pummel, not you."

Spike smoked as he watched Buffy work to soothe the small vampire, marveling at the fact that his demon wasn't snarling because his Claimed was touching another male vampire. Even though Buffy had been kicking Angel's ass at the time – something Spike's demon had enjoyed immensely – the demon had still growled every time she'd made contact, but now his demon was… concerned… about the young vampire.

Spike shook his head in amusement as he stubbed his smoke out on the sole of his boot then flicked the butt into the trash can. He tucked his thumbs into his pockets and spoke quietly, "We've not been formally introduced, Billy. I'm William the Bloody – Master of Sunnydale and the Hellmouth, sired by Drusilla." Billy's eyes widened as he peeked at Spike over Buffy's shoulder and Spike smiled. "Yeah, we're brothers, you and I. Family. And you can call me Spike." He moved slowly over to the chair and sat down, resting his hands in plain view on his thighs. "You've no reason to fear me. I'd never hurt you for simply answerin' a question, even if I don't like the answer. I will, however, hurt Finn if I ever get hold of the bastard."

Billy stammered, "But… he was sired by Mistress Drusilla… doesn't that make him family, sir?"

Spike growled, low and rumbly, "Technically yes, but this won't be the first time I've had to clean up a mess she's made. She's a penchant for turnin' folks 'cause the stars or Miss Edith or what have you told her it would be a good idea, but it rarely ends well. She usually doesn't make 'em childer, though. You and Finn are the only two I know of. Can't even begin to count the number of minions I've had to dust 'cause they turned out wrong. And even if that git had turned out properly, he'd still be dust for darin' to harm my Slayer, family or not."

A light knock on the door startled Billy and he almost jumped completely out of his skin when Spike opened it to reveal Woozlag. Only Buffy's arms tightening around his slight frame kept him from diving off the bed and skittering underneath it. "Woozlag isn't going to hurt you, Billy. Remember what I said? You're safe in this house. Nobody will hurt you here, I promise." Billy nodded then buried his face in Buffy's neck, wrapping her in a hug that would have been tight enough to cause breathing problems if he'd been at full strength.

Spike smiled warmly at the pair on the bed then turned to Woozlag with a quirked eyebrow.

Woozlag bowed deeply then stood up with a satisfied smirk. "Master Spike, I've found something you might like to see."

"What is it, Woozy?"

"He says his name is Riley Finn."


	53. Chapter 53  Surprisingly Mature

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Three – Surprisingly Mature

Spike inhaled deeply as he walked down the stairs into the basement, taking in the intoxicating scents of fear and blood. They were mixed with the nauseating scent of burnt flesh and Spike grinned at Woozlag's back as they made their way down the hall. The cell at the end had a new occupant that glared defiantly as Spike stepped into the room and walked over to the heavy metal table, lightly fingering the shackles and straps holding the vampire in place. "Well, well, well, Captain Cardboard. Fancy seein' you in my dungeon. You were nice enough to have me as a guest, seems only fittin' to return the favor."

He reached out and mercilessly squeezed Riley's shoulder, smiling as the former soldier winced when his fingers dug into the charred skin. "Looks like you found some sand 'fore the flames could mar your face. Shame, that." He ran a fingertip lightly down Riley's cheek then backhanded him hard, knocking his head to the side, the heavy ring he wore on his middle finger splitting the skin over his cheekbone. "Although havin' your mug whole and _mostly_ unmarked means I get to practice my knife work. You really shouldn't have touched my Slayer." Riley's head slowly turned and his amber gaze settled on Spike again as he growled around the gag in his mouth. Spike smirked down at him then turned to the door and smiled at Woozlag. "And the other one?"

"Still outside in the van with my brothers. Figured you'd want this one first, Master."

Spike nodded. "Good call, Woozy. Bring him in and put him in the cell with the St. Andrew's cross. That nest of Pulinkin demons is still hangin' about, yeah? The ones that moved into that warehouse at the south end of town?"

Woozlag nodded. "Yes, Master. They've been staying close to their lair, just like you asked, except when they're needed to clear out vermin infestations."

"Good. Got somethin' _special_ planned for that rapin' little bastard. Once you've got him secured, get hold of the Pulinkin matriarch and have her set a schedule for all her mature spawn to come to the mansion in shifts. Think they deserve a bit of a reward for followin' my orders so well."

"Reward, Master?"

Spike smiled evilly. "Yeah. They've got these _appendages_… smooth to start out, but when they get close to what passes for an orgasm in their species… well, that's when the spines pop out and… it's acidic. Burns almost as bad as holy water, or so I've been told. Don't have firsthand experience myself." He nodded at Riley. "I'll let a few of 'em have a go at this one as well, once I've finished with him."

Woozlag shuddered. "Got it, Master, I understand."

Spike smirked slightly at Riley's continued growling and continued, "Make sure to have plenty of human blood on hand and arrange the schedule to allow the bastards to heal between spawn. Want to make sure they feel the 'full effects' of the experience… Every. Single. Time." He reached out and affectionately patted Riley's cheek. "You're going to be my 'guest' for a very long time, Mr. Finn. You and your little cohort." He leaned down and whispered menacingly into Riley's ear. "You will learn how every single one of those harmless demons felt down in that hellhole you and Walsh had going, and you **will **beg me for death, just like they begged you." Spike grinned at the defiance that flashed in Riley's eyes and straightened up. "Woozy?"

Woozlag shuddered again, suddenly very grateful to be on Spike's 'good' side, even after the beating he'd endured at his hand. "Yes, Master?"

"Go on up and fetch the other bloke while I chat a bit more with Finn here. How many did she spawn last year?"

"Close to forty, Master." He turned and left the cell, shuddering yet again.

Spike called after him as he made his way down the hall. "And how many made it to maturity?"

"Twenty-seven at last count, Master."

XX

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XX

"Buffy! God, it's about time!"

Buffy smiled as she stepped into the kitchen and was enveloped in a tight hug. "Hi, Dawnie." She backed up and looked her sister over. "I think you've gotten taller since last night."

"Or maybe you've started to shrink in your old age."

Buffy smirked. "Hey! You're older than me now, _little sister_, so it's you that needs to start with the old-age shrinkage!"

Dawn laughed and pulled Buffy all the way into the room, guiding her to a stool at the island. "So where's Spike? I figured you two would be attached at the hip… or other places."

Buffy blushed slightly. "He's downstairs. Woozlag found Riley."

Tara looked up from the pancake batter she was mixing. "What about the other one?"

Buffy shrugged. "Don't know, he didn't say, but he left Billy's room pretty fast. Told me I couldn't go with him… demon business."

Tara nodded. "You don't want to see what he's going to do to Riley… it won't be pleasant."

Buffy grimaced slightly, "Yeah, I know. Part of me kind of wishes that he'd just stake him and get it over with, but a bigger part is pissed because of what Riley did to that girl, and Billy, and all those other people, and that part gets that Spike's demon needs to do… whatever he's going to do."

Dawn smirked. "Just like you needed to pound on Angel for a while, right? And for pretty much the same reason."

At Buffy's confused look, Tara spoke quietly. "Riley hurt you so Spike's going to hurt Riley, and Angel hurt Spike in probably the very worst way he could, so…"

"I hurt Angel. How'd you guys know about that? I didn't think Spike would want that kind of thing getting out."

Dawn and Tara shared a look then Dawn said quietly, "He talks in his sleep sometimes, usually when he's having a nightmare."

Tara nodded. "And he had a lot of them after you disappeared. The others know a little bit about what Angelus did to him when he was a fledge, but they don't know the worst of it… just us."

Buffy's quiet, "Oh," was drowned out by the arrival of Xander, Anya, and Willow.

Tara looked up from the mixing bowl and smiled at Willow. "So who's going to be here?"

"Thomas and Dru are going to stay in their room for now because she's having an 'episode.' Something to do with Daddy and not being allowed to see something." She shrugged. "Angel is lying on the floor of his destroyed room and growled at me to leave him alone so I don't think he's coming to the meeting, and I got Xan and Anya."

Xander dropped an arm around Buffy's shoulders then smiled at Tara. "Pancakey goodness! Chocolate chip, right?"

Tara nodded. "I know it's technically dinner time, but pancakes are one of my favorite comfort foods, and it's been a rough couple of days, so…"

Xander smirked. "Pancakes are good anytime, Tara. Anytime."

"I think so, too. Um, I asked Clem to go to the shop and get Giles, so once they get here and Spike's done in the basement, we can start the meeting."

Willow glanced at the kitchen door. "What's Spike doing in the basement?"

Dawn and Tara shared a look again that included Xander this time before Tara said quietly, "Woozy found Riley."

Willow's eyes widened as she whispered, "Oh. Will you have to… um… with the cart and stuff? After he's done? 'Cause I'll help, if you want me to."

Tara shook her head. "No. I won't be dealing with Riley, Lavelda, or Riley's friend, if he's down there. In fact, I doubt very much that Spike will allow any of us to set foot in the basement while they're there, so consider the basement off limits unless Spike says otherwise, okay?"

Willow nodded hesitantly, her eyes cutting to the basement door then to Xander who nodded gravely. "It's demon business, Wils, and it's going to get bloody. Believe me; you don't want to get in the middle of it. I doubt Spike will even let Clem down there."

Willow's brow furrowed. "Why not? Clem's a demon. And he's seen Spike hurt other demons before."

Tara nodded. "Yes, he is, and yes, he has, but Clem's as harmless as a kitten and stuff like that really affects him. He does ok when he knows that we're going to heal them and let them go, but since that's not what's going to happen in this case, Spike won't put him through it."

Willow said, "But…" and Anya cut her off, speaking bluntly, just like always.

"Spike is very caring and emotional for a demon, Willow. He always has been, even though most of you were too blind to see it before Buffy disappeared. If she hadn't, I doubt Spike would still be here now because one of you would've probably dusted him for daring to be in love with your Slayer."

Tara laid a soothing hand on Willow's arm as she started sputtering and Xander smiled wryly at her. "She's right, Wils, and it was mostly you and I that didn't see it. Ahn knew, and Tara and Dawn, and probably the Buffster, and maybe even Giles a little bit even though he'd never admit it, but you and me? Not so much. And I know it doesn't make a lot of sense to you. It didn't make a lot of sense to me for a long time, in fact, it still really doesn't. How can Spike be good with torturing one demon while at the same time worrying about the feelings of a different one? But that's just Spike – Mr. Contradictions Extraordinaire. So don't try to figure him out, just go with the flow or you'll give yourself a headache. I mean, if he wasn't totally confusing us and completely rewriting everything we've ever learned about vampires, then he wouldn't be the Bleached Menace we all know and love… or, you know… like… uh… in a totally manly way."

Buffy silently marveled – again – at how much Xander had grown in her absence. It still kind of floored her that he'd be the one defending Spike for acting like a demon and doing demony stuff, especially since he'd been the most vocal Spike-detractor when she'd disappeared… urging her to stake Spike just **because** he was a demon, not because he'd actually done anything – recently anyway – worth staking him for.

She sent a warm smile to her surprisingly mature friend as Dawn nodded and sent a stern look towards Willow. "So, if you're thinking about doing anything to Spike because he's taking care of business the way demons do… just stop… right now. Like I told Giles… Spike's town, Spike's rules." She waved her arm around the room. "We've all accepted that a demon's in charge of Sunnydale and handles things the way demons do, so if you can't then don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

Willow nodded in silent acceptance and murmured, "I'm not going to do anything to Spike; I was just trying to understand. I know I haven't been all pay attentiony Willow for a while and I haven't spent as much time with Spike as you guys have, but I have noticed how peaceful it's been around here since he took over… you know, except for the whole Riley kidnapping and torture thing, but I want to help. Maybe I could help keep something like that from happening again, if he'll let me be part of his team or whatever."

Tara pulled Willow into a quick hug. "He will, and I'll talk to him about it just as soon as I can. I promise."

Buffy smiled at her other surprisingly mature friend and nodded. "I will, too. It'll be just like old times… the whole gang working together."

Dawn smirked. "Yeah, and we'll still have a bottle blond at the helm… just a more masculine one."

Buffy sent Dawn a playful glare then got up from her stool, moving quietly toward Anya and the little bundle nestled in her arms. She whispered, "Can I see him?" and Anya smiled proudly then unwrapped the baby as Xander moved to stand next to her. Buffy cooed and reached out to gently touch his tiny cheek. "He's so beautiful, you guys. Congratulations."

"Do you want to hold him? Xander said I should let people hold him even though they're full of germs and could make him sick."

Buffy nervously looked up at her. "Uh… I'm not really… um… babies and Buffy… not so mixy. I don't want to hurt him."

Xander grinned. "You won't, Buff. If I can manage to hold him without dropping him, I'm sure you'll be fine with the Slayer reflexes and everything. Just keep the good old Slayer strength dialed down and you'll be fine."

Buffy smiled tentatively then held out her arms and Anya filled them with a warm, sleeping baby. Buffy pulled him close to her chest, making sure to support his little head, and started murmuring under her breath, "Such a cute little boy. You're gonna break all the girl's hearts, aren't you?"

Tara smiled softly at the pair then asked quietly, "How's Billy?"

Buffy glanced up at her. "Oh… he's better. He was eating when I left and he said he'd probably play video games for a while until he gets sleepy. I asked him if he wanted to come down and meet you guys, he really should be in on this because he's part of it, but..."

Tara smiled sadly. "He's scared… terrified, actually."

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. How did you know?"

"I checked on him earlier. His aura was practically screaming it even when he was unconscious. Maybe we should meet him one at a time instead of in a group so we don't overwhelm him. If he's going to be staying... he is going to stay, right?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Spike told him that they were brothers, so I don't think he's going to kick him out once all this is over with, and if he did, I don't think Billy would survive very long on his own. I doubt he has any money to buy blood and I really can't see him hunting… even if he was starving. I just don't get 'bloodthirsty vampire' vibes from him. He's so sweet and kittenish that I seriously doubt he's ever hurt anyone."

Tara turned to the stove and started pouring batter onto the griddle. "He hasn't. He's never killed."

Everyone's eyes widened and Willow sputtered, "How do you know that?"

Tara shrugged. "His aura. It's clean… no black spots. He's never taken a life."


	54. Chapter 54  Broody Pants Junior

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Four – Broody Pants Junior

The shape shifter cringed when Spike stepped into her cell and looked her over. "How's it hangin', Vel? Are the accommodations to your liking?" He kicked the small ladder over next to her then stepped up on it and reached up to grasp the chain that suspended her from the ceiling by her wrists, shaking it violently.

Lavelda moaned in pain as the joints of her arms and shoulders were stressed even more then she sobbed, "I'm sorry, Master Spike. It hurts… Please… I'm sorry."

Spike jumped off the ladder and kicked it back into the corner. "No, you're not, but you will be. I trusted you, Vel. **Trusted** you." He motioned to the chain. "You think this is painful? Try havin' someone you trust betray you and try to kill the person you love. That's painful." He stepped close, slipping into game face. "And findin' out that someone you considered a friend was only friendly to you because they wanted to torture you for their own sick pleasures? That's painful." He suddenly wrapped his hands around her waist and jerked down sharply, her scream of pain echoing around the basement as both her shoulders dislocated. "You will come to know real pain, Vel. Intimately. And not the giving of, either. You heard Finn's screams, yeah? At least the ones not muffled by the gag?" He went on without waiting for any acknowledgment, "Well, that was nothing. You hear me? Nothing. I was holdin' back quite a bit… this time… but he'll be screamin' for me a good long while. Pity you won't be around to hear it."

He stepped back, shifting back to his human face as he gave her limp body a shove then watched as she swung back and forth. "You wanted me as your plaything, but have you ever been the plaything? Know a few Masters that would pay quite a bit to get a toy like you. Wonder how much you'll go for? Oh yeah, definitely gonna set that up. Invite a dozen or so courts to a grand auction. I'll pull enough to set me up for three human lifetimes. Glad I had that demon use his mojo to lock you into this form. Human form, demon constitution. I imagine you'll last a long time, if whoever buys you is careful, not that I give a toss if they are, you understand."

He leaned back against the wall by the door and lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke toward Lavelda's tear-stained face. "I know I promised to let Buffy be the one to end you, but now that I've had the chance to think on it a bit, I don't think I will. That's not who she is, after all. Oh, make no mistake; she'd have killed you without a second thought down in that room, but after a week or so? She's a golden goddess with a good heart, and cold-blooded revenge just really isn't her thing. Part of what I love 'bout her… her sweetness and light… and I'm not gonna have her taint her soul with the likes of you."

Lavelda swallowed hard and croaked out, "But you'll torture me and sell me into slavery and think that your 'golden goddess' will still look at you the same way? That she'll still love you after she finds out what you are?"

Spike snorted. "Buffy knows what I am, Vel. She knows I've a demon that needs to seek retribution for wrongs done against me and vengeance for wrongs done against her. She may not fully understand what drives the demon, but she's accepted it. She's accepted me. And I'm fairly certain she doesn't give a toss 'bout you or what I'm gonna do to you. It's demon business, not Slayer business."

Lavelda's chin dropped to her chest and she whispered, "I wish you'd just kill me, Master Spike, please."

Spike chuckled and flicked the cigarette at Lavelda, singeing her cheek with the cherry. "Well, that didn't take long. Told you that you'd wish for death a hundred times over. Guess that's one. Wonder if we'll hit a hundred 'fore you move on to more painful pastures?" He pushed away from the wall and stepped toward the door. "Got things to do just now, but I'll be by to check on you later. Enjoy your evening."

XX

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XX

Spike stepped out of the small shower stall and reached for the towel draped over a bolt sticking out of the concrete wall. He vigorously toweled himself dry, wishing he'd had the foresight to stash a bottle of gel in the basement's bathroom. Just as that thought crossed his mind, Kt'lid strode through the door and deposited a bottle of gel on the edge of the sink then scooped the pile of bloody clothes off the floor before turning and walking out. Spike smirked at the retreating demon then flipped the towel over the top of the shower curtain rod and picked up the gel.

When his hair was gelled and slicked back, he stepped out of the steamy bathroom and over to a nearby cupboard, pulling open the doors to reveal several pairs of black jeans and half a dozen black t-shirts. He was just buttoning up his fly when Woozlag appeared at the end of the hallway leading to the cells. "You get 'im sorted?"

Woozlag nodded. "Yes, Master. He's secured to the cross and he's been fed. I had to force feed him with a tube down his throat, but he's ready."

"Good. Now I need you to get some blood into Finn. Want that git healed 'fore I chain him the chamber for the ceremony."

"How long will it take to get that set up, Master?"

Spike shrugged. "Couple of days, I expect. Gonna try to set it for a week from today, give Finn enough time to heal."

Woozlag cast a curious eye toward the hall then turned back to Spike. "He's that damaged, Master?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, and I was even holdin' back, not usin' my full strength, but the wanker still passed out on me. Didn't even get 'round to tryin' out my new blade. He's what, nine… ten years turned? Should be able to withstand the whip a lot longer than he did. By the time I was his age, Angelus could whip me for almost a full day, flayin' me right down to the bone, and I wouldn't lose consciousness." He tugged a t-shirt over his head and muttered, "'Course, I've had a lot more practice takin' a whip than Finn has, I imagine." He shrugged. "Still… boy's an Aurelian Childe, and he's been takin' drugs to make him stronger…"

Woozlag interrupted, "But if he wasn't a strong human to begin with, Master…"

Spike chuckled as he slipped into a pair of socks then stepped into a clean pair of boots. "Tosser was pretty weak after he'd come off all those drugs the Initiative'd been pumpin' him full of. Couldn't handle his girl bein' stronger 'n he was and managed to get himself hooked on the bite, too. Should've known he'd make a piss-poor vamp. Dru's pixies must be gettin' as barmy as she is for tellin' her to turn that lump. Waste of Sire's blood, that was. She should've just drained him and left his useless carcass to rot." He stood and started patting his pockets then smirked as he took his pack of cigarettes and lighter from Woozlag's outstretched hand. "Thanks, mate. S'pose I should be gettin' upstairs. Need to pop in and have a word with Dru then get with the Scoobs and suss out what she's on about this time."

XX

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XX

Spike quietly slipped into the dining room, stopping just inside the door. He took in the sight of Buffy sitting at the table with Anya, Tara, Dawn, and Willow, then thumped back against the wall with a sigh. Buffy was still cradling baby Will in her arms, lightly stroking his fuzzy head as she laughed and talked. Every so often, she'd dip her head and plant a feather light kiss to his forehead or nose before rejoining the conversation.

"Scared to go over there, too, huh?"

Spike startled slightly at Xander's quiet voice in his ear then turned a smirk on the brunette. "Not scared, just watchin' the birds, is all. They run you off?"

Xander nodded. "Yeah. Xan-man can only handle so many mentions of 'women problems' before he's got to go do something male, so I fixed that loose railing on the back deck. We really need to get more guys in this gang. Have I ever mentioned that?"

Spike chuckled quietly, "You might have." He let his gaze settle on Buffy for a few beats then said quietly, "I can't give her that."

Xander watched Buffy gently kiss his son again then said just as quietly, "No, you can't." Spike glanced at him with a frown and Xander shrugged. "Just agreeing with you, Fang Face." They watched the women chat for a few minutes then Xander asked, "Have you asked her about it?"

"What? Kids?"

"Yeah. Maybe she doesn't want any."

Spike motioned toward the table. "Look at her, Xan. She's fawnin' all over your sprog like she's been doin' it for years. How can she not want one of her own?"

"I pet other people's dogs all the time. Doesn't mean I want one."

"Yeah, but…"

"Ask her about it, Spike. That's the only way you're gonna know for sure."

Spike closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the wall behind him. "Yeah, but what if she decides I'm not enough for her? What if she wants more? What then? Let some other bloke shag my woman so's she can get up the duff 'cause I can't do that? She might as well stake me, 'cause it'd kill me, Xan."

Xander nudged Spike then did it again when the vampire didn't open his eyes the first time. "A. If Buffy wanted to get pregnant, she could do it artificially… no 'blokes' required… and B. This is the Hellmouth. Who's to say that Tara can't work her mojo on your swimmers and then you **could** get Buffy 'up the duff.' Dufus." Spike smiled slightly and Xander nudged him again. "Maybe you should talk to her about it before you go all Broody Pants Junior. You'd look weird with the whole caveman forehead and unnatural standy up hair thing." He stepped away from the wall. "Now come say hi to Will. It's your turn to hold him."

XX

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XX

"I simply cannot allow…"

Spike cut him off with a snarl, "**You** cannot allow! Who the hell do you think you are? You're treadin' on very thin ice here, Rupert. I may ask your opinion, but in the end, the decision is mine. You don't have to agree with it, you don't have to like it, but as long as you live here, you do have to abide by it. Period."

Dawn muttered under her breath, "Am I just talking to myself all the time? Pretty sure I already told him that."

Giles sank back into the couch just a bit as he pulled off his glasses. "I'm sorry, Spike, I just…"

"Have a problem with me lettin' Thomas and Dru leave Sunnydale undusty."

"Yes."

Spike nodded slowly then held up his hand when Giles started to speak. "Give me a mo'." Giles nodded and everyone startled slightly when Spike suddenly surged to his feet and started pacing around the large coffee table, muttering under his breath. He came to some conclusion and dropped back onto the couch next to Buffy. "After we're through here, go pack a bag, Rupert. You're goin' to LA for a bit."

"What? Why?"

"Three reasons. You can keep an eye on Dru and Thomas, make sure they're not out chowin' down on the populace, and you can keep the poof on track in his trainin' of Thomas while ensurin' that he's treatin' Dru right. Not just squirrelin' her away somewhere… out of sight, out of mind."

Giles sputtered, "And Angel will just allow me to oversee his actions regarding his family members?"

Spike smiled. "He won't have a choice."

"But you aren't the Master of Los Angeles, how can you ensure his compliance with your wishes?"

"I'm head of the family. He may not **like** doin' what I say, but he **will** do it 'cause he doesn't want me to take away his precious law firm."

"You could do that?"

"Bloody right, I could. If I summoned him usin' the family blood bond, he'd have to comply, and I could keep him here as long as I wanted. Years… decades… and he'd lose everythin' he's built in LA. He may complain about you bein' there, and he'll almost certainly brood, but he won't go against me. He can't afford to."

Buffy leaned close to Spike and whispered, "When did he decide to play nice with you? He was all 'you're no Master' and 'pathetic excuse for a vampire' when we left him earlier."

Spike wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. "Stopped in for a chat after I'd finished with Dru. Explained to him in painstaking detail how things work nowadays and what I expect of him. He's not happy about it, but vampire law and lore wins out every time, and unless he assembles a court and makes himself a Master, I outrank him, so he has to comply with my wishes."

Xander spoke up, "And what's stopping him from building a court?"

Spike shrugged, "Doesn't have it in him, dealin' with the politics and ceremony and rules and whatnot… and the soul would stop him from doin' the things necessary to prove his worthiness to lead, not that many demons would follow a souled vamp anyway. 'Sides, he's too bloody spoiled anymore, doesn't like to get his hands dirty… and assemblin' a court isn't somethin' you can delegate to a minion. You've got to be in the thick of it, fists and fangs, and he'd rather just issue orders from behind his ridiculously huge desk and let someone else do the dirty work."

Giles nodded. "All right, Spike, I'll go to Los Angeles and oversee Angel. You said you'd spoken to Drusilla. Was she able to shed any more light onto what we're facing?"

Spike nodded with a small chuckle. "Yeah. She was able to describe what's gunnin' for Buffy." He winked at her. "Let me know when any of this sounds familiar, pet. Huge, green, slimy, big claws, wearin' a burlap sack…"

Buffy's eyes went wide. "A G'vark demon? Seriously?"

"Yeah. Guess you killin' ten of 'em brassed the rest of 'em off a tad."

"Well, the one who dragged me into the portal did say something about a brother. In fact, he kept yelling for someone to go get him until I tore his head off. I guess someone finally did. So, that's it? One lousy demon with a grudge?"

Spike shook his head, his smile melting into a worried frown. "Not just one, pet. His whole clan."

Giles pulled off his glasses again and muttered, "Good Lord."

Buffy's face drained of color at the frightened tone of his voice. "And that's how many?"

Giles and Spike shared a look as Giles dragged out his polishing cloth and spoke quietly, "G'vark demons have rather large families, upwards of hundreds of individuals in some cases, and if they feel you've wronged them, they'll gather all the families together and… we could be facing a horde."


	55. Chapter 55  J'artdl

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Five – J'artdl

"No, Giles, it will just be the one. The brother of the demon Buffy killed."

Giles snapped his head around and gaped at Anya. "What?"

"She'll only have to fight the one demon."

Spike shook his head. "Dru clearly described the battlefield, pet… well, as clearly as she ever describes anything. Took Thomas and I a little while to decipher her meaning, but from what we gather, she said there were hundreds of them, all standing in a circle and calling for Buffy's head."

Anya nodded. "Yes. That's their vengeance ritual. The one who's been wronged calls out whoever wronged him and they fight to the death in the circle. The others are only there to witness. They can't intervene or it starts a whole new cycle of vengeance."

"But what about the nine others I killed? Won't I have to fight their brothers or whatever, too?"

"No. Your fight was with the original demon because he's the one that challenged you. The rest of them just got in the way. They weren't required to help and they could've left at any time, but they chose to fight you instead. Actually, you could challenge their families for vengeance because they butted in on your fight."

Buffy rubbed her forehead and muttered, "Weird. Demons weird."

Spike smiled warmly at Buffy then looked over at Anya. "I've never heard 'bout any of this, and I've had dealings with G'vark demons before. You're sure?"

Anya nodded. "Oh yes. Actually, the rules of the vengeance ritual were set by D'Hoffryn eons ago because the G'varks and Zigliths almost completely drained all the vengeance magic from every single dimension. A G'vark wronged a Ziglith and the Zigliths killed a bunch of G'varks in vengeance, so they killed a bunch of Zigliths to get their vengeance, and it just kept going like that for almost five hundred years. Hoffy had to kill almost all the members of both species before they finally stopped. He set the new rules and told them that the first species to break them would be obliterated."

"And how long ago was this?"

Anya concentrated for a few seconds. "He ended the war two thousand six hundred and forty five years ago. It took almost a hundred years for the vengeance magic to get back to full strength again, but they haven't broken the rules and both species have grown from a few hundred on each side to millions. And they can bring every single member of the species to watch if they want, but you'll only have to fight the one demon."

Buffy turned and looked at Spike. "So why was Dru so freaked about one G'vark demon that she turned Billy?"

Spike shrugged. "She described a battlefield, pet. Probably didn't figure there'd be only one combatant out of the pile of 'em standin' about."

Anya broke in, "Or it could be because your challenger will be invisible. They're hard to kill anyway, and being invisible just makes it harder."

Buffy squeaked, "Invisible? Now I have to fight an **invisible** demon? Can he fly, too? Or breathe fire?"

"No, G'vark demons can't fly. A few of them can manipulate fire, but they don't breathe it. And your challenger will only be invisible until you make him bleed. Once you've done that, it's just your basic fight to the death."

"Will I be invisible, too?"

"No."

Buffy sighed, "Great," then smiled weakly and squeezed Spike's hand as she gazed around the room full of concerned faces. "Don't worry, guys, I can do this. I've fought ten of them already, so I know their moves and weaknesses and Giles trained me to fight blindfolded. Remember those Lime-Aid demons that Glory sent after us? I did ok fighting them when they took me by surprise, and if I train with Spike, I'll be fine."

Spike chuckled. "Lei-Ach demons, and we'll get started on that training first thing tomorrow. Want you ready." He looked over at Anya. "So how does Billy figure into all this then? He's supposed to take a hit meant for Buffy, but if no one can interfere without startin' a whole new cycle of vengeance…"

"Oh, that rule only applies to the G'varks and Zigliths. All of you could fight and they couldn't do anything about it, but I wouldn't recommend that unless it's completely necessary."

"Why the hell not? Why should Buffy have to go up alone against a demon she can't see when we're here to help?"

Anya gave Spike a hard look. "Do you want G'vark demons moving into Sunnydale? Dismantling your court? Because that's what will happen if they think Buffy took the easy way out by utilizing her own band of fighters. They already know how deadly she is. If the brother has sworn vengeance then his entire clan has heard the story of how many she killed all by herself, so if she doesn't fight alone at least most of the time, then say hello to the new G'vark vacation destination. They'll send wave after wave right into Sunnydale, trying to reclaim the honor you stole by fighting Buffy's fight for her when she's perfectly capable of fighting for herself. And that would put me right out of business, Spike. G'varks don't allow any magic but their own in any place they conquer."

"All right, pet, calm down. I'll not let your business be shut down, but what happens if, say, one of the witnessing G'varks butts into Buffy's fight and that's the hit that Billy takes for her? Who earns the right of vengeance then? Buffy, Billy, or the interfering G'vark?"

"In your proposed scenario, Buffy earns the first right of vengeance, because it's her fight that was compromised, and Billy would earn second right of vengeance because he was the one who was injured… if he wasn't killed outright. Buffy would challenge the interfering G'vark to a fight, unless he's already dead. If he is, then the challenge would fall to his nearest sibling. And if Billy is still alive then his challenge would fall to the nearest sibling after that. If he isn't, then his nearest sibling could issue a challenge."

Buffy frowned as she shook her head. "There's no way Billy could fight one of these things, even if he wasn't already injured. He'd be dusted before he even realized what was happening. Couldn't I fight for him?"

Anya shook her head. "No, because you'll already have a challenge on the table, but Billy could appoint someone else to fight for him if he's too injured to fight his own challenge. But if Billy's substitute loses, then Billy will be killed as well."

Spike squeezed Buffy's hand. "I'll stand in his stead if it comes to that, Buffy. You managed to off ten of 'em, I'm sure I can handle one."

Buffy smiled worriedly. "But what about what you said before? That you wouldn't even take on one without an axe and two or three friends?"

"Better me than Billy, luv. And you can give me a few pointers, yeah? Where to strike, what moves you used…"

Dawn flapped her hand at Spike. "You'll be fine, Spike. You and Buffy are like the best fighters ever." She looked pointedly at Anya. "Um… you said that if the G'varks broke the rules then D'Hoffryn would obliterate their entire species… so… why would one of them take the chance?"

Anya shrugged. "I didn't say one would, Spike did, but as you know, there is usually some way to get around almost any rule. The G'varks know that they will be punished for interference, but if they bring along a different species to witness – and the rules Hoffy set don't say that they can't – then…"

"Any demon there that's not a G'vark would be the ones we need to keep an eye on during the fight."

"Yes."

"Is there any way to find out what type of demons they'll bring with them? Or how many? So we can research how to kill them?"

"No."

"So, instead of facing a horde of G'vark demons, we could be facing a horde of something else? How does that hold up under their 'honor code' or whatever?"

Anya shrugged again. "It depends on the rank of the family that challenged Buffy. The higher the rank, the more they adhere to the old ways. The lower the rank…"

Spike snarled, "The more they skirt the rules… honor be damned. Well, if they can bring as many demons as they want, then I'll bring every single demon in Sunnydale and however many I can cadge from neighboring courts." He looked over at the red-headed witch who had yet to speak a word and she squirmed a bit when his eyes fell on her. Spike noticed her nervousness and tilted his head. "Red? You all right?" She nodded and he continued, "Think you could research a few spells for me? Somethin' you and Glinda could use to send these gits off into another dimension if things start to go pear-shaped?"

She squeaked, "Me? You want me to do magic for you?"

"Well… yeah. You told Glinda you wanted to help, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but… dimension shifting takes a lot of power… what if…"

"You're more than powerful enough, Red. You and Glinda are two of the most powerful witches I've ever come across, you just have a bit of trouble controlling yours, but with Glinda there to ground you and help you aim your power in the right direction, the pair of you will be a formidable weapon for our side. I've wanted you on my team for a while, but I didn't want to push you into something you weren't ready for."

Willow sat up straight. "I'm ready now. I can do this." She looked nervously at Tara. "Will it hurt?"

Tara's brows knit together in confusion. "Will what hurt?"

Willow's eyes cut to Spike then back to Tara. "When Spike bites me."

Spike smiled. "No, pet, it won't, but I don't need to bite you just yet. Not until you're ready to attend Court. Glinda will have to instruct you on the rules and protocols and whatnot 'fore that happens."

Willow looked slightly relieved and breathed out, "Oh… ok."

Spike looked over at Anya. "Getting back on topic, what are the rules for weapons and how long do we have 'fore that bloke's brother shows up here demanding vengeance?"

"Buffy can use whatever weapons she wants, and I don't know exactly how long, but considering the time difference between their dimension and ours… Buffy's only been back a few days… so maybe five or six weeks? She'll be notified, of course, and she'll get to choose the location for the fight since she's the one being challenged."

"How will I be notified?"

"He'll deposit the body of his brother on your doorstep so you'll know why you're being challenged."

Buffy's brow furrowed. "Body? There is no body. He exploded."

Anya smiled. "I know."

Everyone's nose wrinkled up as Buffy said, "Ewww! He's going to pour exploded demon all over my front porch?"

"No, he'll be in a J'artdl."

"A what?"

"A bucket."

"Great."


	56. Chapter 56 Okay

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Six – Okay

As Kt'lid exited the suite, Buffy tossed the remote on the coffee table and stood up, stretching her sore muscles. She'd been training with Spike and most of the tougher demons like Woozlag's clan and the Brachens for just over two weeks now and she was beat. She was also in the best shape of her life and her fighting had improved quite a bit because of the sightless training. She didn't even have to think about where to punch, block, or kick anymore, it was just instinctual, and her sparring partners were sporting more than a few bruises as proof of her improved prowess.

Of course, **all** her soreness couldn't be attributed solely to training. Spike had been giving her quite a workout himself, whenever they weren't sparring on the back lawn or training with weapons, and they'd put a lot of miles on his huge bed. They were also two of the cleanest creatures on the planet, logging a lot of time in the tub and shower and putting more than a few miles on the bench.

Because they knew what Dru's vision was about now, there was no reason for everyone to be cooped up under the mansion's wards and protections anymore, so it had been cleared out to make room for the visiting Masters and their entourages. Everyone had gone back to their daily lives… sort of. With Giles in LA, Anya still taking time off to care for baby Will, and Tara helping Spike get the ceremony together, Willow was left to run the shop by herself.

Anya had come in long enough to place a huge rush order in preparation for all the out of town visitors that would likely purchase magic supplies at her more than fair prices. Her eyes had practically had brightly lit neon dollar signs in place of her pupils as she'd mentally tallied how lucrative the week of the ceremony would be; then they had dimmed considerably when Willow had begged her to hire help. Finally coming to the conclusion that a frazzled and exhausted witch would hamper her business instead of bolstering it, she'd agreed and had hired the three demons Spike had recommended.

Kt'lid and his mate had been in almost complete bliss as they'd worked to get the mansion cleaned and prepped. Buffy had noticed their blurry little forms flitting about as they'd set up each delegation's rooms according to specifications of species and the desires of the Masters that would be occupying them. She'd even heard happy sounding little clicks and whistles coming from the blurry demons as they'd gone about their duties. Spike had told her that they only vocalized when they were extremely content and, aside from not being acknowledged, nothing made them happier than having a pile of work to do. Buffy had silently vowed to give them as much work as she could… for their continued happiness, of course, and not because she enjoyed being waited on hand and foot like she was royalty or something, although, if pressed, she could definitely get used to it.

She started for the bedroom, intent on a long, hot soak in the huge tub. She wished that Spike could join her, but most of the delegations had arrived for the ceremony and he was busy. It had taken longer than he'd anticipated to organize the logistics of a dozen courts coming to Sunnydale, so the ceremony had been pushed back and would start at midnight, lasting a full five days, the auction of Lavelda taking the last two.

She stopped just inside the bedroom door and looked sadly at the bed. A bed that would be cold and lonely and way too large for just her tiny self as long as all the other courts were in residence. Spike had asked her to stay in their rooms for the entirety of the ceremony and auction, explaining that the things he was going to do and allow others to do during the ceremony would be too much for her to handle, especially since Riley was someone she'd once been close to. Witnessing what was going to happen to him would cause her pain and Spike didn't want her to hurt anymore because of that 'wanker farm-boy.'

That had led to their very first fight as a couple. It had been a full-fledged screaming match that had started during a sparring session in the back yard. In-your-face yelling complete with angry gesticulating, chest bumping, and shoving, but Buffy was very proud of the fact that neither one of them had struck the other. And, of course, being who they were, the fighting had caused both of them to become hopelessly aroused.

Once Tara had seen the way things were going, she'd shooed all the other demons out of the yard and had cast a glamour to hide them behind just as the first article of clothing had been torn off – Spike's t-shirt. Close to an hour later, Spike had ended the glamour and a very disheveled Slayer and vampire had been revealed. Their tattered clothes had been hanging off their bodies, the torn and shredded material just this side of decent, but although they looked rough, amazingly there had been no blood and very few bruises.

They'd stumbled into the mansion, still arguing, and after much pointless wheedling on Buffy's part and a lot of _'I'm the Master of the bloody Hellmouth woman! So you will do what I say!' _ on Spike's, Buffy had finally had an epiphany that should have been as obvious as the fangs Spike was sporting as they'd stomped through the door into their suite – seeing her in any kind of pain would hurt him just as much, if not more. So she'd suddenly relented, taking all the wind out of Spike's sails as he'd geared up for another bout of shouting, and she'd agreed to stay out of the way as long as he came to visit her as much as he could.

She threw another sad glance at the bed, remembering the hours of tender and loving make-up sex they'd shared there after the fight, then she stalked toward the bathroom, sighing loudly. _Maybe I'll just sleep on the couch until it's over. I doubt I'll get much sleep without him here anyway – not that I get a lot when he __**is**__ here – and he probably won't have time to sleep at all._

She reached up and rubbed lightly at his mark. _I'll have to get him to feed from me so he can keep his strength up. Tara will be using enough of her power keeping that 'make the room bigger' spell going for a week to worry about trying to keep Spike from dropping from exhaustion. I know she said that they've done stuff like this before and they made it through, but I'm here now, so I can help. _

Buffy stepped into the bathroom and started shedding her clothes, letting them drop in untidy piles as she made her way to the tub. Yeah, she could get used to the tub being filled full of steaming, lavender scented water whenever she felt like having a soak, and she could get used to the tray of strawberries and cubed cheese that was sitting on the edge next to a cold glass of sparkling cider – even Spike's house demons knew that Buffy and alcohol were un-mixy – and she could definitely get used to the chocolates and the warm, fuzzy throw that she knew would be waiting on the couch when she got done with her bath.

She stepped over the edge of the tub then slid down into the water with a groan, resting her head on the squishy pillow suction cupped to the side as she let her body fully relax. She didn't even notice when Kt'lid's mate slipped into the bathroom to scoop up her soiled clothing and replace it with a soft, fuzzy robe and a pair of slippers, but she smiled when she lifted her head to pop a piece of cheese into her mouth and saw the robe draped over the towel warmer. Yeah… she could **so** get used to this.

XX

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XX

Billy had been moved to Spike's basement room at Revello Drive and Dawn had taken time off school to care for the timid vampire until he could move back into the mansion. He was so enamored of the Summers sister that he was rendered almost completely mute in her presence, which made caring for him somewhat difficult for Dawn. It was hard to know what to do for your charge when the only verbalizations you could get out of them were mumbled words and incomprehensible noises. The huge boulder demon that had ensconced himself in the back yard and kept his massive eye pressed to the window until it was dark enough for Billy to go outside further complicated matters, even though Dawn thought it was completely cute how the huge demon doted on the vampire. She'd also started to think that Billy was completely cute, but in more of a delicious little tingles throughout her body kind of way than the sleepy kitten curled up in a slipper kind of way.

Billy was slowly coming to terms with his status as the favored pet of Francis and had stopped passing out from fright every time the huge demon picked him up and started rocking him gently, crooning songs at him that sounded like two rocks being scraped together. They'd even had a few conversations that consisted of Francis listening intently while Billy expounded at length on the merits of David Tennant as Doctor Who and how he hadn't been able to fully get behind Matt Smith, although Matt had been starting to grow on him. Then Billy had been captured by Riley's crew and had missed almost two whole seasons, so Dawn had set up a television and DVD player in the back yard and Francis and Billy had been spending most nights watching Doctor Who while Dawn got some much needed sleep.

She'd been working on her thesis, researching and outlining and typing out page after page during the time that Billy spent snoozing under the watchful eye of Francis. It was sounding pretty good, she thought, but she still needed to get Spike to read it over. He'd been there for most of what she was writing about, so she wanted to get his take on it to make sure she wasn't completely off base and that her conclusions weren't totally wrong.

She closed her laptop and gathered all her research materials and notes into a somewhat tidy pile then stood and stretched, groaning as her spine popped in several places. It was almost time to feed her cellar dweller and the knock that had just sounded on the front door heralded the arrival of his fresh blood shipment. She pulled the door open with a smile and motioned for Clem to come in. "Hi, Clem. You want some coffee or something?"

"Hi, Dawnie, and no thanks, I can't stay." He held up a large cooler. "Just dropping this off." He set the cooler on the floor at Dawn's feet. "Spike wants to know how he's doing."

"Good. His leg is pretty much healed and he's been walking on it more… when Francis lets him, that is, but he's still not up to full strength. He still gets tired really easy."

"Yeah. Spike said something about him needing family blood for that, but it'll have to wait…"

"Until after the ceremony, I know."

"Is he talking to you yet?"

Dawn smiled. "Not so much, but some of his weird noises are starting to sound more word-like. He does talk to Francis, though, at least when I'm not around."

"Well, that's good. At least he's talking to somebody. I've gotta go, Spike needs me. There should be enough blood in there to last through the ceremony, but if you run out, call this guy," Clem held out a business card, "and he'll bring some over."

Dawn took the card and tucked it into her back pocket. "Thanks, Clem. Tell Spike, Buffy, and Tara that I said hi and I'll see you in a week."

Clem waved as he stepped off the porch and Dawn shut the door then lugged the cooler into the kitchen and unloaded the blood into the fridge and freezer, leaving out one bag for Billy's dinner. She poured it into a mug then heated it to a perfect 98.6 and carried it carefully down the stairs, waggling her fingers at Francis' massive eye as he peeked in the window.

Billy was already awake, dressed, and sitting nervously on the edge of the freshly made bed and Dawn sighed, "You can come upstairs if you want, Billy. You don't have to sit down here waiting for me. You're not a prisoner here or anything and you can go wherever you want." Billy glanced up at her long enough to accept the mug then his gaze slid away, fixing on a point somewhere near the toe of her right shoe as he nodded slightly and mumbled something she couldn't make out.

Dawn stood quietly and considered the vampire sitting on the bed sipping slowly at his blood. He kept his eyes cast down almost constantly and he projected the demeanor of someone trying to make himself invisible. She knew that these were survival mechanisms learned during his captivity and she sent out yet another silent wish that Spike would make Riley pay for that… a lot.

She'd figured out over the last two weeks that Billy was exceptionally bright and had an inquisitive mind because he'd made it through more than a few of the books stacked up on Spike's dresser – and they weren't exactly light reading. Some of them weren't even written in English. He'd also managed to convey to Francis, who'd grumbled it to Dawn, that he wanted to finish his studies at some point. He knew he'd never be awarded the degree he'd been working toward when Riley had nabbed him – being vamped had pretty much shot that right out of the water – but he still wanted the knowledge. Dawn thought that made him kind of cool – learning something just for the sake of learning it – but he was just so shy, especially around her. Dawn sympathized with that, being that she'd once been the awkward geek too shy to speak to her crush, but now she was a confident young woman who knew what she wanted… and his name was Billy.

He was more than just cute, she'd decided. Actually, he looked quite a bit like a red headed Spike, but his features were just a bit softer, a bit more delicate, the edge of his cheekbones not quite as sharp, and his eyes were green instead of blue. He was almost the same height as Spike, only an inch or so shorter, but his shoulders were the same breadth, which made wearing Spike's clothes a little easier, although they hung loosely on his frame. He was thin, too thin, but once he filled out and got up to full strength, he'd have a lithe swimmer's body with well defined muscles. Yeah… he was a complete hottie.

If you stood Spike and Billy side by side, you'd swear they were brothers. Dawn had noticed a lot of other similarities between the two… way too many to be explained away as coincidence… and she suddenly decided to research their human family trees. She had the sneaking suspicion that Billy was related to Spike by more than just their vampiric family ties… that they were actually family. She wondered if Buffy had noticed the resemblance and that's why she hadn't staked Billy and why she'd been so worried about him, calling every day to check on his progress.

Billy finished off his blood then stood to hand her the mug, his shoulders hunched and his eyes firmly glued to the floor, and Dawn thought to herself, _It's weird. Billy and Spike are almost the same size, but Spike's confident attitude and commanding presence make him seem so much larger than he is, while Billy's hunched posture and almost crippling meekness make him seem so much smaller._ Her fingers lightly brushed his hand as she took the mug and when Billy's eyes briefly met hers, she smiled. He gave her a tentative smile in return then dropped his gaze back to the floor and his hand to his side as he waited silently for instructions. _Ok, this not talking thing has gone on long enough. Time to draw him out of his shell. And I think I know just how to do that._

Dawn reached out to gently grasp Billy's hand and he jumped slightly then looked at his hand as her fingers twined with his. When he looked up at her, confusion and fear were evident in his features and Dawn squeezed his fingers. "I'm not going to hurt you, Billy, and I know you're scared, but I would like it if you came upstairs with me. I need your help with something."

Billy managed to squeak out the first complete sentence he'd ever uttered in her presence, "**You** need **my** help?"

Dawn smiled and nodded. "Yeah. See… I don't know anything about Doctor Who and I was hoping you'd watch it with me and explain all the stuff I don't understand."

Billy's smile lit up the dark basement as he lightly squeezed her fingers and nodded. "Okay."


	57. Chapter 57 Irritation

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Seven – Irritation

It had only been six hours since the first delegation had arrived and Spike's patience – not that he'd had an abundance of it to begin with – was already starting to wear thin. The Vegas Master had brought half a dozen more human slaves than he'd originally confirmed, so the room assignments had had to be shuffled to accommodate the extra space needed, which had incensed the Phoenix Master no end because she'd been reassigned to smaller quarters as she had a smaller entourage.

Spike had spent a good forty-five minutes trying to placate her, all the while eyeing the Tacoma Master waiting to speak to him who apparently wasn't happy with his suite's color scheme, even though Kt'lid had followed his specifications to the letter. And the Sacramento Master was pacing around the back of the room, apparently upset that his request for pre-pubescent virgin boys to feed from had been dismissed out of hand.

Spike had arranged for a large shipment of freshly bagged human blood to be delivered, but several of the Masters – the ones who hunted their meals instead of keeping human slaves to feed from – had refused to drink it and had insisted that Spike make available a stable of donors or they would be forced to snack on the citizens. So, ensconced in a comfortable suite of rooms on the third floor – accompanied by two physicians and half the shipment of bagged blood – were thirty Sunnydale residents who'd agreed to let themselves be used as vamp chow for a week. And wasn't that costing him a pretty penny. Good thing he was one of the richest vampires in the Western United States. True, he could've just had them kidnapped and then released mostly unharmed at the end of the week – that's what the other Masters did when they hosted a gathering of courts because they didn't want to deplete their own stock – but like Spike always did when dealing with humans, he looked at that action through his _ 'Would Buffy like that?'_ filter and… yeah, sometimes that white hat perched on his head felt like it was squeezing his brain.

He wouldn't even get to enjoy Angel's apoplectic phone call about the payment this time, being that he'd apparently cowed the older vampire so sufficiently that Angel wouldn't be saying 'boo' to him about anything for a good long while. According to Rupert's unnecessarily frequent reports, Angel was being the very best vampire he could possibly be, which, truth be told, was making Spike a bit twitchy, but he'd have to deal with whatever scheme Angel was probably cooking up later… after he dealt with the half a dozen Masters waiting to speak to him about some slight, real or perceived, that they'd suffered since they'd arrived in Sunnydale.

Right now, Spike just wanted to bang his head against the back of his chair until he passed out, but being unconscious wouldn't make any of his troubles vanish, so he settled for gripping the armrests hard enough to leave gouges in the wood as the Tacoma Master moved to stand in front of him, bowing deeply. It was shaping up to be a bloody long week.

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"Finally." Spike stood and stretched as the last mostly placated Master with a gripe swept overdramatically from the room. "It's like runnin' a bleedin' nursery school with these gits." He stepped off the dais and looked up as Woozlag fell into step beside him. "Tell me again why I decided to do this?"

Woozlag smiled. "Retribution and vengeance, Master, and you needed to make the point that you are not to be crossed. Not to mention the stacks of cash you'll get for Lavelda."

Spike chuckled, "Right. Thanks." He moved through the door and stepped over to the cushy armchair set several feet down the hallway. It was flanked by a heavily armed Brachen on the left and Woozlag's youngest brother on the right. Spike nodded at them both then smiled at the blonde witch that was curled up in the chair with her legs tucked underneath her. "How you holdin' up, Glinda?"

Tara laid her book over her lap and smiled up at Spike. "I'm fine, Master Spike. But, you know, I'd be just as fine in there with you like I always am."

Spike shook his head. "Not gonna happen this time, pet, so quit pickin' at me 'bout it. You need to be nearby to keep the spell up, but I'll not allow you to see what's gonna happen in there. You get the sound proofing spell going? Don't want you to have to hear it, either."

Tara nodded. "It's cast, Master, but if something happens, how will we know to come help you if nobody can hear what's going on?"

Spike squatted down in front of the chair and clasped Tara's hands in his. "Nothing's gonna happen, luv. All these Masters may be a bit on the whiny brat side, but they'll respect the rules. If one of 'em so much as flashes fang in my direction, the others'll be on 'em 'fore they can even think 'bout harmin' me. Now, we've got just over two hours 'fore the first leg of the festivities kicks off. You need somethin' to eat or drink? You need to use the loo?"

Tara shook her head. "No. I'm fine." She reached out and gently gripped Spike's forearm. "But you should eat something, Master. You need to keep your strength up."

Spike rose to his feet and let Tara's hand slip out of his. "I will, pet. Gonna pop in and check on Buffy then I'll have a snack. See you in a bit."

Tara nodded then caught Woozlag's eye as Spike turned and started walking down the hallway. "Keep an eye on him, Woozy. Make sure he eats."

Woozlag nodded then cringed slightly as Spike called back over his shoulder. "Can't keep an eye on me if you're all the way back there, can you? So shift your arse, Woozy." He stopped and clenched his fists at his sides, his angry voice carrying easily down the hallway. "I'm only 159, so of course I've gotta be mollycoddled like a ruddy child that's not cognizant enough to feed itself. Do any of you even grasp the fact that I'm a bloody Master Vampire? One of the youngest Masters in history? I've managed to survive torch toting mobs, several wars, near a dozen Slayers, and the Great Poof's sadistic, soulless self, so I think I can manage to eat without bein' reminded every five bloody minutes!"

Tara gasped and shook her head, "No, Master Spike… I didn't mean…"

Spike spun, already regretting his harsh words as he made his way quickly back to the front of Tara's chair. He caught the eyes of each of her guardians then flicked his chin back over his shoulder. They understood the gesture for what it was – an order to vacate the premises – and they quickly complied, moving far enough down the hallway to be out of earshot as Spike squatted down once more and took Tara's hands in his. "I'm sorry, luv. You know how irritated I get with all the pomp and rules and the bloody incessant whining, but I didn't mean to take it out on you. I know you mean well and I promise I'll eat, yeah? And I'll drink that concoction you made to help me stay awake, even though it tastes like feet."

Tara's smile warmed his heart and she quickly checked to make sure that her guardians weren't looking before she leaned forward and pulled Spike into a tight hug, whispering into his ear, "Thank you, Spike. I love you, you know, that's why I worry."

Spike shifted in slight embarrassment as she let him go and mumbled, "Know that, pet, love you, too," then he got to his feet, throwing a quick glance at Woozlag who was intently studying the ceiling above Tara's chair… with his fingers stuck firmly in his ears. Spike chuckled and tapped Woozlag on the shoulder then turned and started back down the hall. He stopped at the far end in front of Tara's guardians and motioned toward the door to the Court chamber. "The Masters and their entourages will start arrivin' for Court any time now, so you two keep a close eye. Nothin' should happen, but if any one of 'em threatens Glinda… if they say anythin' to her, if they so much as look at her slightly askance… you take 'em down. Subdue and restrain if you can… but if you can't, you end 'em. Period. Or I'll end you… unpleasantly."

The two demons nodded vigorously and said in stereo, "Yes, Master Spike," then trotted down the hallway, taking up their positions on either side of Tara's chair. Spike nodded at them then started for the stairs to the upper floors. "Ok, Woozy, need you to fetch our 'special guests.' They should be cleaned and dressed by now, so bring 'em up and chain 'em in front of the south wall with Vel in the middle. Go ahead and anchor their feet so that they're facing the room to start out… we can turn 'em 'round later… and make sure to bring up my mahogany handled whip and that new blade. Plan on finally breakin' it in tonight."

"Yes, Master Spike. Do you want me to bring up any of the other… implements?"

Spike shook his head. "No. Each Master will bring their own favorites to use durin' their part of the ceremony. Just put mine in Tara's chair. Also, seat the home town demons in the section closest to my 'guests.' They're the ones most need to see what'll happen to 'em if they cross me or attempt to hurt what's mine."

Woozlag nodded and veered toward the kitchen. "Yes, Master Spike. See you in there." He stopped and turned around, throwing Spike a cheeky grin. "Do I need to remind you…"

Spike growled and threw Woozy the two finger salute then grinned back. "I'll bloody eat, you git! Now go!" He shook his head in amusement as Woozlag's laughter followed him up the stairs.

He slipped through the door to his suite then closed it quietly behind him, his face cracking into a warm smile as his eyes lit on Buffy. She was curled up on the couch, the remote clutched loosely in her hand as the flickering light from the television washed over her. The box of chocolates she'd been munching on was tilted askew on her hip, spilling a few of the delectable goodies onto the cushion in front of her stomach.

He slid out of his duster and draped it over the arm of the chair nearest the door, then stepped out of his boots and padded on his sock-covered feet across the plush carpet. After he'd cleaned up the wayward chocolates and wiggled the remote out of her slack hand, clicking the television off before setting it on the coffee table, he gently tugged the throw off her and bent to pick her up. She shifted against him as he straightened up and her eyes opened. "Spike?"

"Yeah, pet. Gonna put you to bed."

She stiffened against him and shook her head. "No, I don't want to sleep in there until you can be with me. I'll just stay out here on the couch."

He nodded and turned around, sitting down and cradling her in his lap. "All right, luv. You mind if I hold you for a bit 'fore I go back downstairs?"

She snuggled into him and nibbled gently on his neck. "That bad, huh? How many of them did you want to kill?"

Spike laughed. "Most of 'em, truth be told. Bloody hell, pet, I don't know how they've managed to stay Masters as high maintenance as they all are. I'm surprised their followers haven't killed 'em by now just for bein' so bleedin' annoying." He caught her lips in a kiss then pulled back. "I'm not like that, am I?"

Buffy grinned, "Well, you did annoy me for the longest time…" He frowned and Buffy quickly sat up and slid her hands into his hair, pulling his forehead down to hers. "But you eventually grew on me and now I can't imagine being anywhere but where I am right now." She slid her hands down his back and pulled him into a hug, noting the tightness of his muscles. "You're all tense, Spike."

He sighed tiredly, "Yeah. Been a long day and it's lookin' to be a longer week."

Buffy grasped his hand and laid it on her bare knee, sliding it along her thigh and up under her robe. Spike's eyes widened then darkened when his fingertips brushed against her core… her bare core. "Let me help you relax, Spike." She leaned close and nibbled on his bottom lip. "How long do we have?"

He growled low in his throat as her lips fastened on it and mumbled, "Little under two hours."

She knelt up, straddling his lap, and untied her robe, letting it fall to the floor in front of his feet. "I can work with that." His hands found her breasts, cupping them reverently as his thumbs flicked over her nipples and she arched back, grinding herself against the buttons of his jeans. "Too many clothes, Spike. Fix that."

"Yes, ma'am." He nudged her off his lap and stood, quickly shucking his jeans then tugging his shirt over his head. When he dropped it to the floor beside him, he gasped at the sight of Buffy kneeling on the edge of the cushion. Her back was toward him as she pressed her upper body against the back of the couch, her bum sticking invitingly up in the air. She wiggled it as she looked back over her shoulder. "Come and get me… Master."

"Bloody hell."


	58. Chapter 58 Tired

This story has been nominated at the Sunnydale Memorial Fanfiction Awards in the category of Best Original Character.

Thanks for the nod, alexiarrose!

No, I'm not afraid to admit that I squee'd a little… ok, a lot. Squee!

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Eight – Tired

He stepped forward and sank himself deep into her heat then stilled, holding tightly to her hips. She tightened her muscles around him and he groaned then started moving, slowly at first, then faster as she pushed back to meet his thrusts. He was pounding into her, having to continuously shuffle forward because he was pushing the couch across the floor, when she tightened around him almost painfully and screamed his name into the soft leather of the couch. He immediately followed, roaring loudly before collapsing across her back.

He wrapped an arm around her waist then fell sideways onto the couch, maneuvering onto his back with his limp slayer splayed across him like a starfish. "Needed that, pet. Ta."

She wriggled delightfully, sending pleasurable shivers through them both, then lifted her head away from his shoulder far enough to pull her hair away from her neck. "You need something else, too, Spike. Feed."

Spike grumbled good-naturedly, "Bloody women… always tellin' me what to do," then he nipped lightly at the unmarked side of her neck before sinking his fangs in. The first slow pull of her blood made her tighten around him again and he groaned into her neck as he hardened inside her. His fingers slipped between her splayed legs and started stroking her swollen flesh as she rhythmically contracted around him, bringing them both to a shuddering climax.

He withdrew his fangs and sank further into the couch cushions with a contented sigh. "Can't say as I've ever enjoyed a meal more, luv."

"You didn't take very much."

"Don't need much, pet. This'll hold me for a bit. Hopefully 'til I'm able to take a break."

"You're sure I can't go with you? I can handle doing the pet thing again and then you could feed whenever you needed to."

"I'm sure, pet. And it's not that I don't think you can't handle yourself in front of the other Masters or because I might be too busy to eat. I know I told you before that it was because I didn't want you to see Finn being tortured, but that's not the whole reason. I **don't** want you to see what's gonna happen to that pillock or the other two." His voice dropped to almost a whisper. "But I **really** don't want you to see what I'm gonna do to 'em." He cleared his throat and his voice was stronger when he spoke again, "Don't want you to see me like that, Buffy. Can't you understand? I need to do this for you… for me, but I don't want the monster to be the only thing you see when you look at me."

"But that's part of who you are, Spike, and I know that. I've accepted it. And they all deserve everything you're gonna do. I can handle it. I can."

"But I can't, Buffy. I know you think you've seen the worst of me, but you really haven't. Not by a long shot. I didn't gain the distinction of being the most vicious vampire in history, second only to Angelus himself, by accident. I **earned** that title and I'm about to go prove why I deserve it. I won't show mercy or kindness, and I'll allow the other Masters to do _anything_ they want to those three, short of dustin' or killin' 'em. Anything. Imagine the very worst thing you can think of and then multiply it a hundred fold. Can you handle seeing that? Seeing me doing that or allowing others to? Can you?"

Buffy closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "No, I guess I can't. But if you don't want to be 'the monster' then why are you doing it?"

"Finn hurt you, Buffy."

"Not that much, not really."

"Maybe not, but he was going to. And do you think he would've stopped with just you and me? With us out of the way, he would've had free run of Sunnydale. Who do you think he'd have gone after next? Niblet? The Scoobies? Your Watcher? You saw what those people looked like when we got them out. What'd been done to them. I can't let that go, Buffy, or I'll have every demon who thinks his bollocks are big enough tryin' the same thing. I have to…"

Buffy reached for his hands and squeezed them tightly. "I get it, Spike. You're stepping up to protect me… protect all of us."

"Yes, pet."

"So why didn't you just tell me all this in the first place? We wouldn't have had that fight."

Spike wrapped his arms around her then hugged her tightly against his chest and she could hear the smirk in his voice when he said, "That fight turned out all right in the end, kitten. Wouldn't mind fightin' with you again… not every day, mind you, but once in a while."

Buffy giggled quietly. "I can deal with that, but I'll just make fun of your music or something next time, though, ok?"

Spike growled against her neck. "Nothin' wrong with my music, Slayer. It's a damn sight better than that bubble gum crap you listen to."

Buffy giggled again then glanced at the clock and groaned. "Stupid time. You're gonna be late if you don't go right now." She lifted herself off him then turned and pulled him to his feet, sliding her hands into his hair and bringing his head down for a soft kiss. "I love you, Spike."

"Love you, too, kitten."

He stepped toward his clothes and started getting dressed and Buffy asked, "Don't you want to clean up?" as she motioned toward his groin that was glistening with their combined spendings.

He shook his head wearing a proud smile. "Nope. I'm just fine as I am, pet."

Buffy laughed as she lay back on the couch and stretched her arms over her head. "Showoff."

Spike smirked. "Bloody right. Rubbin' the other Master's noses – figuratively, of course – in the fact that I've Claimed the strongest Slayer to ever walk the earth…"

"Makes you the Biggest Bad in all of Bigbadville, right?"

He touched his finger to his nose. "Got it in one, pet. Also stops any matchmakin' they might've been thinkin' about right in its tracks."

"Matchmaking? The other Masters are going to try to find you a girlfriend?"

"Not as such. It's more like an arranged marriage between the royal families of two different countries. If two Courts want to combine territories for added strength or influence, or because one needs protection, then the lesser Court will offer up a Consort to the Master of the stronger Court. Because I've Claimed you, I can't take a Consort, so… no matchmakin'."

"So they can tell you've Claimed me by the way I smell? Ew, Spike."

"It's not just your scent, Buffy, it's our scents mixed together."

"And again with the ew."

"What can I say, luv? Vampires." He chuckled as he backed toward the door, unwilling to take his eyes off her delectable form until he absolutely had to, and fumbled blindly for his duster, shrugging into it as he stepped into his boots. "I'll pop in whenever I get time."

Buffy smirked over at him as she spread her legs and slid her fingertips through her damp curls. "Ok. I'll just be laying here thinking about you."

Groaning at the sudden tightness of his jeans, Spike muttered, "How the bleedin' hell am I supposed to concentrate on anythin' knowin' that you're up here doin' that?" She slid one finger inside and Spike gripped the back of the chair as another groan was torn from his throat.

Buffy grinned cheekily. "It'll give you a reason to take more breaks instead of running yourself ragged, knowing that I'm up here… ready for you… anytime." She cut her eyes to the clock then sent Spike a blinding smile. "You're late."

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Spike stalked down the hall toward the Court chamber, trying to discreetly adjust himself in his tight jeans. "Bloody woman." He nodded to Tara then threw open the doors, his frustrated gaze settling on the two vampires and the shape shifter that were trussed up on the other side of the room. He stomped toward the dais at the front, smirking to himself when every Master's nose twitched as he passed by, then stopped dead at the bottom of the steps as a grin overtook his features. '_That minx! God, I love that woman!'_ Buffy had been trying to accomplish something with her exceedingly arousing display. She wanted his mind to be full of her, instead of worrying about the conversation they'd had, so his demon would have no trouble remembering why he was doing what he was about to do.

'_Mission accomplished, pet.'_ Spike chuckled to himself as he moved fluidly up the stairs and turned. He paused, pushing his amusement aside for the moment and letting his rage bubble to the surface. He snarled quietly as his amber-eyed gaze fell on his 'special guests.' Each one of them had had a hand in hurting what was his… Buffy… his Slayer… and each one of them was going to pay for that. With blood and screams and pain. He clapped his hands together to quiet down the mumbling crowd. It was time to get started.

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Spike lowered his arm, the muscles cramping painfully, then smiled in thanks as Woozlag appeared at his side, gently prying the handle of the whip from his clenched fingers. Spike backed up then turned and walked slowly to his chair, dropping into it with an exhausted grunt. The Vegas Master caught his eye and Spike nodded at Lavelda. Time for round two.

He sat and watched impassively; massaging the muscles in his left arm as the two oldest Masters each took their turns, wrenching agonized screams and tear-filled begging from their assigned subjects. The Vegas Master had spent at least three hours on Lavelda, and now she hung silent and limp in her chains, blood slowly dripping down her body to patter on the floor under her feet.

The Tacoma Master was currently working on Nathan, using some type of medieval torture device that Spike had never seen before – even with his extensive knowledge of various torture tools – but it had the desired effect. Nathan was gibbering in fear and agony and cursing Riley with every bit of energy he could muster that wasn't already devoted to screaming.

Riley was in the worst shape by far, having been the focus of Spike's rage. He was sporting hundreds of cuts and puncture wounds and the skin on his back hung in tatters from neck to ankles. Spike's new blade had been broken in by taking Riley's scalp before being employed on the rest of him. Then one of the other Masters had handed Spike a pair of garden shears, and now Riley's fingers and toes… every single one… were stacked in a tidy pile on the bloodied strip of detached scalp lying on the floor under his left foot.

Riley, being the weak little twat that he was, had only maintained consciousness during Spike's session because the Tacoma Master's mage had forced a potion down his throat before chanting a spell. It had worn off during Lavelda's punishment and he'd been allowed to pass out, but now he hung in his chains, brought back to full consciousness by the mage, with his horrified gaze forcibly trained on Nathan because of another of the mage's spells. Even though Riley wasn't the Tacoma Master's assigned subject, he'd still wanted him to witness his punishment of Nathan, hence the mage's work. And Spike was just fine with that. It was only fair, really, since Nathan had had to witness Riley's punishment.

There were four more days of the 'Vengeance and Retribution' phase to go. Once tonight's sessions were over, the mage would spend the day repairing the damage so the canvasses would be fresh for the next night. Spike would have first choice of subject for the next two nights, followed by the next two Masters in order of age. The final two nights of the V&R phase, Spike would sit out, letting the rest of the Masters take their turns, and then Riley and Nathan would be returned to their 'suites' in the basement and would begin receiving their 'clients' from the Pulinkin clan.

The last two nights of the gathering were set aside for the sale of Lavelda. Each Master interested in purchase would get a private two hour block to 'test' the merchandise, giving the mage enough time between 'tests' to restore her to an untouched condition, then the last few hours of the gathering would be spent at auction. And with the looks of interest most of the Masters were sporting, Spike expected to end this week much, much richer than he'd started it.

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Spike trudged up the stairs, exhaustion pouring off him in waves. The last five days had been tiring, to say the least. His body ached almost everywhere there was to ache from wielding the whip and a few of the more interesting implements he'd borrowed off the other Masters, and he hadn't been able to sit out the last two nights like he'd planned because the other Masters had encouraged him to try out their favorite 'toys.' His head was also throbbing so much from dealing with their inane requests and complaints about the most miniscule of irritations that he almost wished he still had that thrice damned chip. It had made his head hurt less.

After each night's bout of torture, most of the Masters had retired to their rooms for a full day of rest and relaxation. Spike, however, couldn't. He'd had to remain in the Court chamber, meeting with each Master in turn as they'd hashed out territory trades and purchases, made deals and pacts regarding travel and commodities, arranged upcoming gatherings and various ceremonies, and brainstormed ideas on how to deal with problem Courts. Things would have been much easier with Tara by his side, but with the mage working on the battered and bloody bodies hanging on the other side of the room, that hadn't been possible.

He'd felt the weight of her concerned gaze on his back as he'd made his way down the hall every time he'd managed to wrangle himself a short break. He'd tried to reassure her that he was holding up just fine, but he could see that she wasn't buying it, so he'd made her promise to thump him the next time he suggested hosting a gathering this large. She'd agreed readily then had thumped him lightly for hosting the current gathering, much to the amusement of Woozlag and her guards, and he'd laughed and pulled her into a hug.

The first night had been the longest he'd been able to spend with Buffy so far this week, and he was feeling keenly the loss of her presence. She'd given him attention and blood each time he'd shown up, though, not complaining at all even when he'd drawn her out of a solid slumber to bury himself to the hilt in her heat. She'd responded whole-heartedly, giving herself to him fully, and made sure that he experienced the maximum possible amount of pleasure in the short time they had together.

One visit had been devoted almost entirely to cleanliness. Buffy had stripped him then had scrubbed him thoroughly from the top of his head to the bottoms of his feet before throwing him down on the squishy rug in front of the shower stall and proceeding to get him dirty again, drenching him in her scent.

The corners of his mouth curved up in amusement and a warm feeling of belonging crept over him as he remembered how she'd made sure to stake her claim on him before he'd left each time to go back downstairs. She hadn't trusted that just their mixed scents would be enough to keep the other Masters from trying to set him up with 'some vamp skank,' so she'd made sure to give him a highly visible love-bite on his neck. She'd wanted to make sure that everyone knew, without a doubt, that he was hers. And he was. Wholly and unequivocally. Every cell in his body was stamped with the phrase, 'Property of Buffy Summers,' and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Draping his duster over the chair by the door, Spike sniffed deeply to locate Buffy then kicked off his boots and plodded toward the bathroom, stripping out of his clothes along the way. Buffy smiled at him from deep inside the mountain of bubbles in the tub before getting to her knees, holding her arms out to welcome him as translucent bubbles skidded over her heat-reddened flesh and dripped off her nipples. She pulled him back against her, wrapping her arms around him as he sank down into the hot water with a groan. "How long do we have this time?"

He nestled back against her, laying his head on her shoulder. "Sixteen hours, give or take. I won't be needed durin' the 'testing of the merchandise,' so I won't have to go back down until the start of the auction."

She did a quick bit of arithmetic then nipped at his ear. "Only six of them are interested? I figured it would be all of them."

Spike shrugged. "Oh, they all are, but I let 'em know that this wasn't some bargain basement deal and the other half don't have the funds they'd need to compete. She'll go for top dollar or she won't go at all. Gonna get my money's worth out of that bitch and send the message that crossing me means a lifetime of pain."

Her hands skimmed over his chest, tweaking his nipples before moving lower as she nibbled on his ear. "So what am I gonna do with you for a whole sixteen hours?" He growled as her hands started expertly working him, his hips thrusting off the bottom of the tub as she quickly brought him to climax. He collapsed against her, his head lolling to the side as a soft snore issued from his mouth. Buffy propped his head on her shoulder, pressing his face close to her neck, and sighed, "Guess I'll just watch my tired vampire sleep." She wrapped her arms tightly around him and settled in to hold him until the water chilled enough to force them from the tub.


	59. Chapter 59 Disrespect

Coming Through

Chapter Fifty Nine – Disrespect

"I knew it!" Dawn shouted, startling the vampire reclining on the couch. She'd managed to coax him out of the basement to hang out with her while she continued her genealogy research, and he'd been laying there staring at her for almost three hours. Today. Not that she minded, but her attempt to ferret out the lineage of her two favorite vampires wouldn't have taken this long if she hadn't lost quite a chunk of time staring right back.

Billy had blossomed since she'd drawn him out using episodes of Doctor Who. While he still had the tendency to drop his eyes and hunch his shoulders when he was unsure of something, he was getting better at meeting her gaze and standing to his full height. He'd even spoken to her, using full sentences with nary a mumbled word in sight, and she'd found that talking with him was rapidly becoming one of her favorite pastimes.

Francis had been feeling a tiny bit neglected from having to share his Billy time with Dawn until she'd explained that now he had two pets for the price of one. That had perked him right up and they'd spent a few enjoyable evenings camped out in the back yard, the boulder demon's large hands being much more comfortable for lounging in than they looked.

Billy sat up, swinging his legs off the couch to rest his feet on the floor. "You knew what?"

"That you're related to Spike."

Billy nodded slowly. "Well… yeah. We have the same sire."

Dawn shook her head. "I don't mean fangy-wise. You're Spike's cousin. His first cousin four times removed. Here, come look." Billy got up off the couch and moved to stand behind her chair, peering at the laptop propped on her knees. "See? Here's you, William Albert Thompson." She pointed to his name in a little box on the screen then traced the line leading up to his father's name in the next little box. "There's your dad, and your grandfather…" She traced the line through two more boxes to end at the name Mary Elizabeth Kenward Thompson. "That's your great, great, great grandmother. Her twin sister, Anne Catherine Kenward Pratt, was Spike's mother."

"Oh. Wow." He backed away from the chair and looked down at the floor. "What do you think he'll say?"

"Spike?" Billy nodded but didn't look up. "About what? Being related to you?" Billy's shoulders hunched as he nodded again and Dawn set down her laptop, moving to stand in front of him. She wrapped her arms around him and slid the fingers of one hand into his hair, moving his head to rest on her shoulder. "I think he'll like it."

Billy mumbled into the fabric of her shirt. "How can he? It's bad enough that a vampire as powerful as him is stuck with somebody as useless and weak as me in his vampire family. Now I'm part of his human family, too? I'm an embarrassment to him twice."

Dawn lifted his head and held it so that she could look into his eyes. "You are not an embarrassment to anybody. And you're not useless or weak. Somebody useless and weak wouldn't have made it through all the shit you have. You're a survivor, just like Spike, and if he had issues with you being related to him then you'd be Riley's roomie down in the basement of the mansion instead of hanging out here with me. Spike trusts you, Billy, and letting you stay here with me proves that. He treats me like his daughter, his very overprotected daughter who has had one hell of a time trying to date because no guy I ever brought home passed the growling vampire at my shoulder test. It's a wonder I'm not still a virgin."

Billy's eyes widened then he ducked his head, looking like he'd be blushing if that were possible. "I doubt Master Spike thought anything like that would ever happen between us, and that's why he asked you to babysit me."

Dawn lifted his head again and smiled at him. "Well, I guess Spike's wrong then, isn't he? And I'm about to be one naughty babysitter." Then, before Billy could even process her words, she leaned close and brushed a kiss across his lips.

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Angel paced across his office again, unable to wipe the image from his mind that had been plaguing him ever since Sunnydale. Buffy – HIS Buffy – letting… no! ENCOURAGING that insolent, useless, evil, disgusting little excuse for a vampire to BITE her! Every time his mind's eye replayed Spike's fangs piercing Buffy's flesh he howled in rage and it was all he could do to keep from tearing the head off the very next person he saw. Needless to say, his employees had been giving him a wide berth and Harmony had taken to putting his mug of blood on a small table _outside_ his office instead of bringing it in.

Yesterday, Thomas had borne the brunt of Angel's fury, being beaten into an almost unrecognizable lump before Giles had managed to intervene. He'd used some spell to freeze Angel in place then had spirited Thomas and Drusilla away somewhere, leaving Angel frozen for several hours until the firm's mage had finally found the right counter-curse to break the spell.

A noise in the hallway caused Angel to whip his gaze to his office door, but it was just the mail clerk, scurrying past as fast as his short little legs would carry him. Angel was expecting Spike to bluster his way into the room any minute now, throwing his barely there weight around and demanding that the older vampire bow to his wishes, but apparently Giles hadn't been in contact with Spike yet. And that was… interesting. True, the ceremony wouldn't end until tomorrow, which meant that Spike was probably still in the Court chamber, making him practically unreachable, but surely Tara would make sure he got a message from Giles about something this important.

Angel growled, "Unless Spike doesn't think I'm important! That disrespectful son of a bitch! I need to just end him. Hurt him and then end him. He thinks he can order me around? I'm the Sire of his Sire! What right does he have to order me to do anything? I'll dust his bleached ass!" Angel pounded his fist through the top of his desk as the monkey in that wrench made itself glaringly evident. Buffy. If he dusted Spike then she would dust him, and that would defeat the whole purpose of trying to get her away from the little bleached idiot.

Angel pulled his bloodied hand out of his desk and sighed as he dropped into his chair. "She'll never stop loving him, even if he's dust. There's no way I'll ever get her back."

He laid his head back on the chair, an evil smile forming on his face as Angelus whispered to him, "Then kill her before you dust him. You can't have her, I don't want her, and it will completely break him to watch you kill her. We'll both end up happy. Especially me."

Angel considered this for a while, running through possible scenarios, but in the end, couldn't find it within himself to kill Buffy, much to the displeasure of Angelus. Although Angelus had to smile because Angel didn't for one second find it odd that he now considered Angelus to be a separate entity. The separation that had been triggered by the familial Claim on Thomas was nearly complete. One short incantation – that he didn't have yet but knew where to get – would be all it would take for Angelus to completely subjugate the soul that had ruined his entire unlife and he'd be able to take over the body he'd been forced to be a passenger in for the last century.

Angel tried to placate his growling soulless counterpart, "There has to be a way for both of us to get what we want. We both want to dust Spike, and I want Buffy to be mine, but as long as she loves him... If there was only a way to make her forget that..." The answer came to both of them at the same time.

Magic.

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"All right then, she's yours. Have your representative see Clem about the funds transfer and the contract." He tossed the shackle key to the Vegas Master who in turn handed it to his second-in-command. "And I'll thank you to have that removed from my territory as soon as possible."

The second-in-command moved quickly toward Lavelda as the Vegas Master bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master Spike. This has been a most enjoyable experience."

"Yes, it has." He looked around the chamber. "Anything else then, or are we done here?"

The San Diego Master stood and moved to the front, waiting patiently for the Vegas Master to step away before dropping to one knee and bowing her head. "I would beg your private audience on an important matter, Master Spike."

Spike nodded curtly, "Soon as the rest of this lot clears out, we'll talk," then he stood and stepped to the side of his chair as he vamped out, speaking loudly, "As Master of Sunnydale and the Hellmouth, I declare this Gathering officially concluded. Thank you all for coming and I bid you good hunting until we meet again."

He melted back to his human face as the chamber full of vampires, demons, and various slaves and pets – human and otherwise – started slowly filtering out the room. Spike smirked at the huge smile the Vegas Master was wearing as he brought up the rear, his second dragging a struggling, and thankfully gagged, Lavelda through the door. She turned her head, her eyes pleading with him one last time, and Spike flashed fang and let his eyes bleed gold as he called out, "Hope you have a nice life, Vel… what's left of it."

The Vegas Master stopped and turned a smirk on Spike. "Don't know how much of it she'll enjoy, but I know I'll enjoy every last minute. Thank you again, Master Spike. Your generosity will be long remembered."

Spike nodded. "I'm sure it will, Malcolm. See you in a few months."

Malcolm dipped his head then followed his second out of the room, pulling the doors closed behind him. Spike turned to the San Diego Master with a quirked eyebrow and sat back down in his chair. "So, what can I do for you, Jacqueline?"

Jacqueline looked up at him and Spike motioned for her to sit in Tara's chair. "I would like to purchase one of your slaves."

"Slaves? Don't have any slaves, Jackie, you know that. I have humans and demons that do things for me, but they're not my slaves, and I imagine they'd be rather put out if I were to sell them."

Jacqueline motioned toward the south wall of the Court chamber. "The one called Nathan."

Spike chuckled. "That git's not my slave, he's my prisoner. Bit of a difference there. Why do you want him?"

Jacqueline's face darkened and she growled, "He's the one who captured and tortured my mate. I seek only to repay him for that… disrespect."

Spike's brow furrowed and he leaned forward to sniff her, instantly recognizing the scent mixed with hers. "You mean Rex? That bloke you turned back in 1934 'cause you admired his arse? You mated him?"

Jacqueline nodded. "Yes. He became much more to me than something nice to look at. I love him, William. Surely **you** can understand that. Your love for your women is well known, especially for someone who's known you as long as I have."

"Yeah, I understand how you feel, but… when exactly did Nathan do this? I was under the impression that he was Finn's faithful lapdog… not prone to thinkin' much on his own."

"It was right before they came here, I think. Their group stayed in my territory for a short time; until I found out they were there and forced them out. I would've handled things then, but I didn't find my mate until much later. He'd been brutally tortured and raped repeatedly before being left chained in an abandoned house to suffer prolonged starvation. It was only through an extensive search and numerous spells that I found him at all, and he's still not fully recovered, even after weeks of feeding exclusively from me." She paused, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "The bastard defanged him, William, and even though he'll eventually recover from his physical injuries… he'll never be the same."

"You're sure it was Nathan?"

"Yes. I recognized his scent as soon as I stepped into your chamber. My mate and the house he was chained in were drenched in it."

"Christ, Jackie! Why didn't you tell me this before now?"

"You needed to exact your retribution, and I would not presume to impose upon that, so I waited. I cannot offer you much, as I do not have much liquidity at present, but…"

Spike held up his hand. "I don't want your money, luv, got more than I need. I'll let you have him in exchange for a future favor, but I'm gonna keep him a bit longer. Have some more retribution to exact 'fore I'll let him go, but if you'd like, you're welcome to stay and watch."

Jacqueline cocked her head. "What kind of retribution are we talking about?"

Spike let that evil little smile overtake his features. "Ever heard of Pulinkin demons? They've got these appendages…"


	60. Chapter 60 Blackmail Material

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty – Blackmail Material

The phone on the nightstand started ringing insistently, causing Buffy to groan as she rolled off Spike's chest and reached toward the night table. "The freaking world better be ending or I'm gonna kill whoever's calling this early."

Spike mumbled with a voice full of sleep. "It's gone three, Buffy. 'S not really that early."

"It is when you're on vampire time. We don't have to get up for another two hours. That's like calling at four in the morning for humans." Buffy lifted the handset and barked, "What?"

"I know Mom didn't teach you to answer the phone like that."

Buffy sighed, "Hi, Dawnie. What's up?"

"Well, when I went outside to get the mail, guess what I found on the front porch?"

"The Publisher's Clearing House people holding a big check with my name on it?"

"Nope. A bucket."

"Crap."

"Yeah, that's pretty much what it smelled like, but the demon standing behind it assured me that it used to be his brother. You've been formally challenged."

Buffy bolted up, her eyes wide with fear as Spike shot to a sitting position right behind her. "The demon was there? Are you ok? Did he attack you?"

"I'm fine, Buffy. He just explained the bucket and gave me a note. He was even nice enough to take the bucket with him when he left."

Spike flopped back down and wriggled to get comfortable as Buffy asked, "What does the note say?"

"It's an incantation. You have to write down where and when the challenge is going to take place then say the incantation and the note will be delivered to the brother."

"Neat."

"Yeah. Do you want me to write something down, or…"

"No, we should probably have a meeting or something to decide. And Spike will need to notify the other Courts so they can send their people as back up."

Spike mumbled, "Only need twenty-four hours notice, luv. Just tell 'em where and when and they'll be there."

"Can you call the rest of the gang, Dawnie? See if they can meet just after sunset?"

"Where? Here?"

"Yeah. I figure over there would be easier on Billy than dragging him halfway across town. And not all the Courts have left yet…"

"So keeping him in a familiar place away from a crowd of unfamiliar demons is of the good. Plus, even the most clueless Sunnydale citizens might notice a huge pile of walking rocks when Francis follows us."

"Right. How's Billy doing, anyway?"

"All right. He still gets tired easy, but since the ceremony's over, maybe Spike can fix that. You and Spike should get here a little early anyway; I've got some things to tell you, and I'd rather not have the full contingent here when I do."

"Bad things?"

"No. At least not from where I sit."

"Okay, Dawnie. Set the meeting for an hour later then. See you in a little while." She hung up the phone and rolled back over, reaching out to prod her vampire. "C'mon, Spike. Let's go."

He grumbled, "Now?"

"Yeah, now."

"What happened to _don't have to wake up for two hours?_"

Buffy leaned down and brushed her lips across his ear. "I said 'get up,' not 'wake up.' And since I won't be able to go back to sleep now, I'd really like you to 'get up.' You get me?" And just in case he didn't, Buffy let her hand slip under the blanket to wrap around the part of his anatomy she was referring to.

He got her. Twice.

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Buffy's hands were cradling her head as she leaned forward, her elbows propped on her knees and Spike's hand rubbing light circles on her back. "Oh God, if Mom was here, she'd kill me!"

Dawn was standing in front of her with her arms crossed over her chest. "Why? Because my boyfriend's a vampire? So's yours, in case you hadn't noticed!"

Buffy glanced at the cringing Billy standing in the doorway to the living room then looked up at her pissed off sister. "That's my point! I'm the Slayer… I'm not supposed to be normal – and Mom figured that out way before I did – but you are! Normal school, normal job, NORMAL boyfriend!" She glanced over at Billy again with an apologetic, "No offense, Billy." He nodded and dropped his gaze to the toes of his boots.

Dawn's eyes widened as her arms dropped to her sides. "Normal? HELLO! I'm the Key! How is that even remotely normal? I can open the locked front door just by holding my hand over the deadbolt. Is that normal? And normal boyfriends? Been there, done that. You think normal guys don't freak out the first time they make me come and I glow green? Because, believe me, they do. One threw a Bible at me because he thought I was possessed by a demon. And being hit in the forehead by a big book when you're supposed to be enjoying the afterglow? Not fun."

Spike suddenly popped to his feet and started for the dining room. "And I'm gone. Not havin' this conversation again." He snagged Billy's arm on the way by, dragging him towards the kitchen. "We'll be out back when you've finished or the Scoobs show up, whichever com… whichever HAPPENS first."

Buffy's eyes followed the retreating vampires until they disappeared into the kitchen then she turned them back to Dawn. "Did Billy freak out?"

Dawn smiled warmly at the swinging kitchen door and said loudly, "No, and you leave him alone, Spike! I'm an adult, you know! If you scare him off I will stake you!" The slam of the kitchen door was her response and Dawn dropped into the nearest chair with a forcefully spoken, "I will."

"You'd really dust Spike because of a guy?"

Dawn sighed. "No, Buffy. I love him, you dip, and I didn't say I'd 'dust' him; I said I'd 'stake' him. There's lots of places you can stake a vampire that won't dust them, but it'll hurt like hell."

"Oh. Right." Buffy's face heated in a blush when she whispered, "You really glow? Every time? That's…"

"Not normal, but it is, you know, kind of cool. And you should've seen Billy's look of manly pride when I told him what it meant."

Buffy giggled. "I guess that would be handy from his point of view. Knowing you can't fake anything."

Dawn smiled conspiratorially, "Not that I'd have to. He may be inexperienced, but he's a fast learner. And really enthusiastic." She lifted her hands and held them about nine inches apart. "Not to mention he's… wow."

Buffy's eyes widened. "Really? He's not that big a guy."

Dawn shrugged, "Spike's not that big a guy, either, and he's…"

"When did you see Spike!?"

Dawn held up her hand, ticking off on her fingers. "One – Spike had nightmares. Two – I held Spike when he had nightmares. Three – Spike sleeps naked… You see where I'm going with this?"

"Oh. Right."

"Of course, I've never seen him hard, so I can only assume how big he…"

Buffy held up her hand with a yelp, "And we're done comparing boyfriend sizes!"

Dawn smirked and continued, "is then, but considering he's related to Billy… and looks a lot like him… I'm guessing he's just as big, if not bigger."

Buffy yelped again, "God! Dawnie! Did you not get the _no more comparing sizes_ thing?" then her hand dropped. "Wait. Related? How does both of them being sired by Dru have anything to do with… you know?"

Dawn shrugged. "It doesn't. Billy is Spike's first cousin. His great, great, great grandmother was Spike's mom's twin sister."

"Wow. Really?"

"Really. They're family… twice. You mean to tell me that you didn't notice how much they look alike?"

"No… I kind of… well, yeah, now I have, but Billy looked pretty rough when I first met him, and I didn't really get to spend much time with him and then he was gone. I haven't had the last two weeks to study him like you have." She threw a smirk at her sister who just shrugged and nodded. "You really like him, huh?"

"Yeah, Buffy, I do."

"And the vampire thing…"

"Doesn't bother me. Tara told us he's never killed anyone, and when I asked him about it he told me he was never allowed to feed on humans. He's been bagging it since he was turned and he has no problem bagging it for however long he's around."

"So, you're sure about this? You want to be with a vampire? You don't have super strength, Dawn. He could hurt you."

"But I know he never would, Buffy. And yes, I'm sure. Hell, the only time I've ever seen his game face is when I asked him to show it to me. Sometimes I even forget he's a vampire. Kinda like Spike. I hardly ever see his game face, either. I think of both of them as men more than I do as vampires."

Buffy sighed. "Ok, Dawnie, if you're sure. I still think Mom would be upset, though."

"No, she wouldn't. She liked Spike and she'd like Billy. I know she would. Plus, she'd think it was neat that they're related."

"How did you find out they were related?"

"Billy told me as much of his family tree as he could remember and I researched the rest, and Spike had already told me about his parents, so all I had to do was see if their trees crossed anywhere." She giggled. "And I found out Spike's full human name. He's always refused to tell me what it was and now I see why. Plus, I found some pictures of him when he was a kid. Major blackmail material, with all the cute and the curls... I am so going to make him buy me a Viper."

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Billy stumbled to a stop in the middle of the porch as the kitchen door slammed behind him then he gulped and started stammering when Spike turned to face him, "I'm sorry, Master Spike… I didn't mean for… I know you don't want her to have anything to do with me… not like that… and I know I'm not worthy of her, but please don't dust me. I'll leave her alone, I swear it. I'll move back to the mansion and never see her again if that's what you want."

Spike cocked his head as he considered the trembling vampire. "Is that what **you** want?"

Billy's eyes were wide and shocked as he vehemently shook his head. "What? No! But what I want doesn't matter. You're Master… and… and… Dawn's guardian… so it's your decision."

Spike snorted. "You've met Niblet, yeah? When it comes to her personal life, that bird makes her OWN decisions, mate, and then she lets me in on it so I can pretend that's what I wanted all along. Most I've done since she started pickin' out blokes to bring by is growl at 'em and flash a bit of fang. That seems to be her litmus test. If they soil their pants, she tosses 'em in the dustbin. Most of the ones I've met have been binned." He stepped close to Billy and growled, flashing a bit of fang, and to his surprise, Billy stood his ground, holding Spike's amber-eyed gaze for almost a full minute before backing up a step and dropping his gaze to the floor. Spike shifted back to human and smiled. "Not bad, Billy. Not bad at all. You'll do."

Billy's head snapped up. "What? But I backed down… I tried, but…"

Spike laid his hand gently on Billy's shoulder. "You held out a lot longer than I thought you would for someone who's been through what you have. You should be proud of how far you've come in such a short time. Bit must be really good for you." Spike winked then leaned close, whispering in Billy's ear, "But if you ever hurt her…"

Billy stammered, "I know. You'll put me in the cell next to Mr. Finn's."

Spike stood back with a chuckle. "Not what I was gonna say, but not a bad idea, if that's what works for you. I was gonna say that I'd sic the Slayer on you."

Billy gulped again then closed his eyes. "She won't let me be with her sister, will she? Because I'm a vampire."

Spike tapped Billy on the shoulder then smiled when Billy opened his eyes. "Did I mention the bit 'bout Niblet makin' her own decisions? She's not gonna let Buffy talk her out of you if you're what she wants, Billy. That girl's as stubborn as the day is long, so you've nothin' to worry 'bout unless…"

Billy looked directly at Spike, hoping the sincerity he felt could be seen in his eyes. "I'd never hurt her, Master Spike. Never. I know I lost my ability to love when I was turned, but I still remember what it felt like, and…"

"Who told you that rot? That you can't love?"

"Uh… Mr. Finn."

Spike sighed, "Wanker," then he dropped down into his easy chair and motioned toward the love seat. "Sit down, Billy. Might as well get comfortable, we could be out here a while." Billy sat down and Spike continued, "Vampires are capable of all human emotions. Hate, lust, sadness, happiness, irritation, frustration… love… All of 'em. Actually, we generally feel 'em a bit stronger than humans do. More intensely. The demon amplifies things."

"So why did Mr…"

Spike held up his hand. "Don't give that tosser any more respect than he deserves. You can call him whatever you like, just as long as there's no Mister, Master, or Sire included. Wanker, tosser, git, fuckwit… those all work, but feel free to pick your own."

Billy smiled. "So why did the asshat tell me that we can't love?"

Spike chuckled. "Good one. Probably 'cause his demon was against the idea. Vampires are **capable** of all human emotions, but if the demon doesn't want to feel 'em then it won't. My demon wants to feel love, so I can. Loved Drusilla for over a century 'till I met a little blonde spitfire that turned my world upside down. Apparently your demon's the same way. Don't question it, Billy, just go with it."

Billy nodded. "Okay… um… does the human part of us have anything to do with what kind of demon we get?"

Spike's eyebrows went up. "You're a smart one, you are. How many years turned are you?"

"Almost three."

Spike whistled through his teeth. "Bloody hell. Most vampires don't start askin' questions like that until they've reached Master status, if ever. But yeah. Angel, my Grandsire, was a sadistic wanker of a human, so he was an exceptionally sadistic wanker of a vampire. Darla, my Great-Grandsire, was a cold and callous whore as a human… you see the path I'm travelin' down, right?"

"Yes."

"Neither one of 'em really loved anythin' when they were human, so when their demons set up shop, they didn't include that emotion in their list of things to feel. We both loved when we were human, so…"

"We can love now."

"Right."

"Um… Master Spike? Can I tell you something?"

"You don't have to use my title outside of Court, you know. You're family. Just call me Spike."

"Family. Um… that's kind of what I wanted to tell you. We're family."

Spike nodded slowly. "Yeah…"

"Not just because of Mistress Drusilla. Um… Dawn found out that my great, great, great grandmother was your mother's twin sister."

Spike's eyes widened and he sat forward in his chair, startling Billy slightly with the sudden movement. "Aunt Mary was your kin? You're a Thompson?"

Billy nodded hesitantly and stammered, "I'm sorry…"

Spike jumped to his feet and yanked Billy up by his arms, pulling him into a tight hug. "You're sorry? For what? You're family! Really and truly family!"

Dawn snickered from her place leaning against the kitchen door frame. "See? Told you he'd like it, Billy." She waited until Spike had released him then asked, "So… do I still have a boyfriend or do I need to go get a stake?"


	61. Chapter 61 Curious

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty One – Curious

"I'm thinkin' out in the desert. Lots of space, no humans…"

"Also no shade for the sunlight challenged among us."

"Could do this at night, you know. You get to choose the time."

"True, but what if it lasts too long? How are we going to get all the vampires under cover if we're miles from civilization?"

"Set up a tent? Someplace to make shade if we get caught out?"

"And have you all trapped in one spot? Inside something that can blow away and is extremely flammable? Yeah… good plan."

Tara clapped her hands together sharply. "Hey!" When the two blondes looked over at her she smiled. "You two do remember that I'm a witch, right? And that I turned the living room at the mansion into a Court Chamber that was ten times its normal size, right?"

Buffy nodded. "So you could make someplace near here bigger than it is?"

"Yes. And it doesn't have to be a building. I could enlarge that clearing where we brought all the people Riley kidnapped."

"And again with the sunlight issues. What about a warehouse or something? The gym at the high school? Someplace that's already kind of big."

Spike grinned. "Actually, I just purchased a warehouse on the edge of town. It's the largest one in Sunnydale and it's empty. Could use that."

Buffy turned to him. "Why'd you buy a warehouse?"

"Gonna have Xan convert it into demon flats. We've had so many movin' in lately that they're havin' a hard time findin' housing."

"Oh. Nice. Yeah, that could work. Is it in good shape? The roof all in one piece so you don't get flambéed when the sun comes up?"

Xander nodded. "It's structurally sound, Buffy. I checked it over myself."

Buffy unfolded the note she'd been clutching in her hand and accepted a pen from Dawn. "What's the address? And when do we want to do this?"

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Buffy pushed her slimy hair out of her eyes and looked around at the puddles of goo. "You have GOT to be kidding me! Already?"

A G'vark demon, much smaller than the one she'd just torn the head off of, stepped out from the half circle of his kind and bowed low. "You have won the Challenge, Madam Slayer. This vengeance ritual is complete. Would you like to Challenge for vengeance?" He motioned to nine G'varks further along the circle that were wearing restraints around their wrists. "These are kin to those who intruded on your original fight. You may Challenge any or all, if you wish."

Buffy shook her head and bent down to pick up the sword the G'vark had managed to wrench from her grasp just after she'd cut him with it, making him visible. "No thanks. How about we just call it even? Okay?" She straightened up and tossed the sword to Spike, who caught it deftly then handed it to Woozlag. "Or how about this? You guys stay out of my dimension altogether and I won't kill any more of you. You keep coming here, and I'll kill all of you. Sound good?" She turned to Anya, who was standing with Dawn, Billy, and Xander behind a row of Brachens. "Can I do that?"

Anya pushed through her guardians to stand in front of them then nodded. "Yes. As winner, you can demand any concessions you want, and if he agrees, it applies to the entire species."

Buffy nodded then turned back to the G'vark. "Good, then that's what I want. Get out and stay out. We clear?"

The demon bowed again. "Yes, Madam Slayer. It will be done as you have asked."

The large Sunnydale group and all the demons Spike had requested from other courts stood by quietly as the thousand or so G'varks filed back through their portal. When the last one stepped through, the portal closed with a loud snap and Tara stepped up next to Buffy. "Anyone who doesn't want to get squished should probably step outside while I take down the spell. This warehouse is big, but I don't think it'll hold all of you." She smiled at the three boulder demons standing at the back of the group. "Especially not you guys."

Spike called out, "I'd like the Sunnydale demons to stay for a moment. Please move over there." He waited while the home town demons moved across the warehouse then faced the seven hundred or so out of town demons. "Even though it turned out you didn't have to fight, I want to thank you all for coming and please give my thanks to your Masters. Also, no snackin' on my citizens on your way out of town."

They all dipped their heads and a few of them murmured 'You're welcome, Master Spike,' then they turned and filed out of the warehouse and into the night, splitting off into smaller groups as they made their way out of Sunnydale.

Once the foreign demons had left, Spike turned to the Sunnydale group. "The Slayer and I both thank you for your service and I'm proud to have you all as members of my Court." There were smiles and back slapping and even a few bows as the demons congratulated each other on a fight well won, even if they hadn't had to fight. The air was full of squeaks, whistles, growls, and various other demon tongues as plans for celebration were made. The building trembled slightly as the larger demons made their way outside, the smaller demons darting through the throng, until only the core group was left standing in the cavernous space.

Spike nodded to Tara to begin taking down the spell as he stepped up next to Buffy. She looked up at him, wearing a small frown. "Well, that was kind of… disappointing. How long did we fight?"

"Close to thirty minutes, I guess."

"And they didn't bring any other species of demon, so Billy," she waved at the red-headed vampire that had his arms wrapped around her sister, "didn't take that hit or whatever. Are you sure Dru's visions are always correct?"

"Yeah, pet, I am, and now that this bit's over with, I'm thinkin' she had two separate visions that I mistakenly combined into one. So, apparently there's still someone or somethin' out there gunnin' for you."

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Giles woke slowly, blinking in the brightness of the room as he tried to figure out just where he was. Crisp, white sheets, plastic tubing and wires snaking across his body that were connected to beeping equipment, the humiliation of feeling a catheter tube taped to his thigh. He was in hospital.

He lifted his right arm; the left one encumbered with an IV in his forearm and a pulse monitor on his index finger, and brushed his fingers across his neck. There was a thick bandage covering most of the right side. He pressed his fingers into it and winced. So it would appear that he hadn't dreamt Drusilla's fangs tearing into his flesh, but how had he ended up here? The last thing he remembered was looking up at the cobwebbed ceiling of the old church she'd led him to, insisting through her confusing ramblings that it would be a safe haven from her psychotic Sire. He'd muttered a thousand **I told you so's** to Spike as she'd noisily slurped his blood, and he'd vowed to haunt the blond vampire for eternity just before he'd slipped into unconsciousness.

But she hadn't drained him. And that was curious.

He fumbled for the call button and a nurse appeared in his doorway mere moments later wearing a smile. "You're awake! How do you feel?" She bustled to his bedside and started fussing with his IV then whipped out a stethoscope and quickly took his vitals.

Giles waited to speak until she'd finished listening to his heart and lungs. "I feel as well as can be expected, I suppose. Uh… What exactly happened to me?"

The nurse frowned slightly as she patted his arm. "Oh, you poor thing. You don't remember?"

Irritation clawed its way to the forefront and Giles' tone was dripping with disdain as he spat, "I wouldn't have asked otherwise, now would I?"

The nurse took her hand off his arm and backed up a step. "You were attacked by a wild dog. At least that's what your son said when he brought you in."

Giles blinked. Then blinked again. "Pardon? Did you say my **son**?"

The nurse nodded warily. "Yes. Thomas? You don't remember him, either?"

Giles pasted what he hoped was a disarming smile on his face. "Oh yes. I do apologize. I'm a bit confused, you see. How long have I been here?"

"Almost a week. Thomas and his wife have been beside themselves with worry."

"Wife? Oh, Drusilla, of course. Yes, I remember. And where are they now? Have they just stepped out for a moment, or..."

The nurse frowned again. "I don't know. They were here just a little while ago. Let me check with the other nurses to see if they told one of them where they were going." The nurse exited the room, coming back a few minutes later with an envelope. "I'm sorry, Mr. Giles, but they had to leave. Apparently there was another family crisis they had to deal with, but they left this for you." She handed him the envelope.

"Thank you." He nodded toward the door. "If you wouldn't mind, I would like to read this in private."

"Of course. I'll go tell the doctor that you're awake."

He opened the sealed flap of the envelope and extracted the single sheet of paper as the nurse pulled his door shut. The words on the paper were written in a blocky combination of cursive and print and they looked like they'd been written in a hurry.

* * *

_Mr. Giles,_

_We wanted to stay with you until you woke up to explain what happened, but Drusilla had another vision and I won't allow you to stake her. Or me. So we're leaving. I'm going to take her out of the country and none of you will ever see us again. I'll make sure of it. _

_She only fed from you so she'd have enough Sire's blood to heal me, and she stopped herself before she killed you. She said Spike would be cross with her if she did and she 'can't abide' him being cross with her. So Spike saved your life. You should thank him. _

_Oh, and she was the one who insisted on bringing you to the hospital just as soon as I was healed enough to carry you there. She says you'll be just fine._

_She also told me that you need to warn Spike. Tell him that the 'sneaky monkey' is Angel. Apparently he'll know what that means. And you need to do it soon. Angel's lost whatever was left of his mind, if all the crap he was yelling about while he beat me into the ground is anything to go by. Thankfully his Claim on me seems to be getting weaker and hopefully will be gone soon so I'll stop feeling the pull to go back to him. It's hard to ignore and makes my fangs itch, but I won't go back there._

_Please tell Spike that I'm taking care of Dru and that I'll keep her safe. I don't want him mad at me, either._

_Thanks for getting us away from Angel, but I hope I never see you again, because if you try to dust Dru, I will kill you._

_Thomas._

* * *

Giles fumbled for the call button again and the same nurse poked her head into the room. "Yes, Mr. Giles?"

"I need a phone immediately."


	62. Chapter 62 Doing Spells

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty Two – Doing Spells

"Yuck. How did I still manage to get covered in demon guts? I moved out of the way when he exploded!"

Spike chuckled at the gore covered Slayer walking next to him down the sidewalk. "Not quite quick enough, kitten. That's why I sent Clem ahead with my car. Didn't want to be scrubbin' demon slime off the upholstery. Don't worry, though, we'll be back at the mansion in no time and you can have a wash up."

Buffy shook her head. "Since that one Master is still at the mansion, I'd rather do the post-fighty celebration at the house. Besides, it's closer."

"Post-fighty celebration?"

"Yeah. After winning a big fight, even though this fight wasn't really all that big, we eat pizza and ice cream and watch movies. It's tradition."

Spike frowned. "Is it. Funny, I don't remember that."

Buffy stopped walking and shot Spike a guilty glance. "I'm sorry, Spike. It's a 'before I loved you' tradition. We did it after the Adam thing, and…"

Spike held up his hand. "I get it, pet." She raised her arms to hug him and he held up both hands in a warding gesture. "Don't, Buffy."

Buffy dropped her arms and backed up. "What? Why not?" Her bottom lip started to wobble and tears pricked at her eyes.

"Oh hell, don't cry, pet. I'm not angry and I'm not rejecting you… Just don't want you to slime my duster." Her lip continued to wobble and Spike sighed, slipping out of his duster and letting it drop to the sidewalk at his feet. He held out his arms. "C'mere, luv."

She tucked herself into his embrace and mumbled against his chest as she let the tears fall. "I'm sorry we… I… kept you on the outside of the group. I wish things…"

"Shhh, pet, none of that now. No wishin' on a Hellmouth, yeah?" Spike tightened his hold on her and whispered into her slimy hair, "All's forgiven, kitten. Can't bear to see you cry."

Buffy snuffled then wrestled her tears under control. "I know. And I really am sorry. I'm not crying just to manipulate you." She paused for a few seconds and Spike could hear the smile in her voice when she spoke, "That's what the patented Summers pout is for."

Spike chuckled, "I know that, pet, fallen victim to it often enough. From you and your sis." Spike took a deep breath, regretting it immediately as the stench of G'vark demon filled his nostrils. He coughed and sputtered for a moment then chuckled along with Buffy's muffled giggling. "You reek, Slayer. Let's get you to the house."

Buffy backed up and Spike hooked his duster off the ground, making sure to hold it away from his now slimy clothes. "And me as well. Care for a bit of company in the shower, luv?"

Buffy sent him a saucy wink. "Maybe. You offering?"

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"Jesus, do you two ever stop?" Dawn backed quickly out of the bathroom, but not before getting an eyeful of a naked vampire pounding into her sister as she bent over the sink. Dawn stomped down the stairs, pulling the ear buds from her ears then holding up her hand to Willow as she started up. "You really don't want to go up there."

The grunting, panting, and barely muffled moaning convinced the red head and she turned quickly, following Dawn back into the living room. "How long have they been at it?"

"I have no idea. I didn't even know they were up there until I opened the bathroom door." She wrapped the cord around her iPod then tucked it into her back pocket. "That'll teach me to listen to music when I don't know where my sister is."

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Her sister seeing her like this, with Spike gripping her hips hard enough to bruise as he pounded into her, should have made her libido run away screaming like a little girl, but… it didn't. She was too close and Spike was hitting all the good spots, pushing every single button that made her gasp and moan and scream his name, and he knew it, too, the smug bastard.

"Guess I should've locked the door," he chuckled as Dawn's steps sounded down the stairs, then his hand snaked around, his fingers slipping over her throbbing nub as his hips continued to piston furiously. He pinched just right and growled, "Come for me, pet," and she did, voicing his name in a long drawn out scream as she contracted around him, pulling him over the edge after her.

They collapsed in a slimy heap on the floor, both panting like they'd just sprinted across town. When she'd gotten her breath back, Buffy rolled into Spike and buried her flaming face in his chest. "She saw us, Spike! My baby sister saw us! First Giles and now Dawn! And we just kept going! God! I'll never be able to face her again!"

Spike wrapped his arms over her, squeezing tight. "Yes you will, pet. We weren't doin' anythin' wrong or unnatural. And it's her fault for not knockin'. Hopefully this little episode has broken her of that habit. 'Sides, it's not like she hasn't shagged in here. Can smell her and Billy all over the house. Think they've christened every single room."

Buffy's head shot up and she glared at Spike. "And I really didn't need to know that! God! TMI much?"

Spike laughed as he pushed Buffy to a sitting position then got to his feet and turned on the water in the shower. "Let's get cleaned up, Slayer. We'll deal with the awkwardness and what all after that."

Buffy mumbled, "My baby sister," as she climbed to her feet and stepped into the tub behind Spike.

Spike pulled her under the water and bent to brush a gentle kiss across her lips. "She's not a baby anymore, kitten. She's a grown woman, and I'd wager we haven't got anythin' she hasn't seen."

Buffy pounded her fist weakly against his chest. "No kidding, Big Bad. She's already told me that she thinks you're bigger than Billy." She held her hands up about nine inches apart then lowered them to Spike's still hard cock. "And it looks like she was right."

Spike's eyes went wide with shock and he sputtered, "What?"

Buffy giggled at his expression then held up her fingers, ticking them off one by one. "A. You had nightmares. B. Dawn held you when you had nightmares. C. You sleep naked." She dropped her hand. "She said she'd never seen you hard, so she could only guess, but…"

Spike groaned and leaned forward, burying his face in Buffy's neck. "Bloody hell. Thought I'd done a good job of keepin' myself covered. Chit must've peeked when I was asleep. Now **I'll** never be able to face her."

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There were smirks all around as a squeaky clean Slayer and her blond vampire stepped into the living room. Well, except from the Slayer or the blond vampire. Everyone else seemed to be highly amused by the situation. Spike dropped into the only vacant chair and pulled Buffy down onto his lap then threw a glare around the room. "What're you all lookin' at?"

Dawn shrugged and leaned back against Billy. "A lot more clothing, that's for sure."

Spike snarled, "Might try knockin' next time, Niblet. Save us all a little embarrassment, yeah?"

Dawn shrugged again. "I'm not embarrassed. And why would I knock on the door to what I thought was an empty room? You two should have been at the mansion getting your freak on, not upstairs in my bathroom."

Spike's eyebrow quirked. "**Who's** loo?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Technically yours, but since you don't really live here anymore, I'm claiming the house. Besides, I've already moved all my stuff downstairs into **our** room." She pulled Billy's arms around her and shot a challenging look at Spike. "So there."

Spike smirked back and nodded. "All right, Bit. I'll get the deed signed over to you. Was gonna do that anyway when you'd finished school." Billy smiled and sent Spike a knowing look and Spike nodded. "Told you, didn't I? Good luck with her, Billy. You're gonna need it." He clapped his hands together sharply. "Well, if you lot are done tormentin' me and the Slayer… what's this I hear 'bout some kind of party?"

Xander stood then turned to help Anya to her feet. "Anya doesn't want to stay for movie watching, so I'll drop her at home and go pick up the pizza."

Buffy frowned up at Anya as she passed the chair. "You're sure? You can bring little Will if you want. The more the merrier. And I'd love to hold him for a while. He's so cute."

Anya smiled. "I'm sure, Buffy, but thank you. I'm tired and my breasts are full of milk. Will needs to nurse and then sleep and he won't be able to do that here with all of you taking turns holding him. Babies need their sleep or they'll get sick and won't grow. I want Will to grow."

Dawn jumped up and pulled Billy to his feet. "Billy and I will go get the movies. And maybe we'll pick up a bottle of something."

Spike nodded toward the kitchen. "Got plenty of liquor downstairs, Niblet, not that you need to be drinkin' it anyway."

Dawn huffed. "I'm old enough, Spike, and you have nothing but whiskey… that now lives in a cabinet in the kitchen, by the way, not in our room. Besides, I want some Schnapps or something."

Spike shuddered and looked over at the witches. "What 'bout you birds? What're you gonna go fetch?"

Willow and Tara looked at each other then Tara smiled over at Spike. "We'll go by the apartment and get some microwave popcorn."

Dawn smirked, "And maybe do a 'spell' or two, right?"

Willow blushed as Tara grinned. "Maybe."

Spike called out before anyone could get out of earshot. "Meet back here in an hour or so then? Buffy and I might need to do a 'spell' of our own, so ring the bloody doorbell, would you?"

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Buffy pushed against Spike's chest, moving him back just far enough to release her lips so she could catch enough air to say, "Can you get the door? That's probably Xander with the pizza." Spike leaned forward, pushing against her hand, and managed to lock his lips with hers again. He finished up the kiss that the doorbell had interrupted then pulled back, loving the glazed look of lust in Buffy's eyes even though they'd just finished another spectacular shag not even ten minutes ago. Buffy took a deep breath and shivered a little then leaned in for a soft kiss. "And don't forget to wipe off the table, please."

Spike chuckled against her lips. "It's not like anybody'll know, Buffy."

Buffy leaned back a little and smiled. "Billy will. He's got a vampire nose, too."

"All right, pet." He turned Buffy around and placed the ice cream scoop back in her hand. "There you go, luv. Scoop away. I'll just get the door." Buffy started to turn and Spike quickly added, "And the table."

He snagged the damp dishcloth hanging over the faucet then made his way into the dining room, pausing long enough to quickly wipe down the table. He sniffed and smirked. '_A few swipes with a rag isn't gonna erase that delicious odor.' _ He left the dishcloth sitting on the edge of the table then walked to the door, pulling it open without bothering to sense who was on the other side. "Peaches? What the bloody hell are you doing here?"


	63. Chapter 63 Plan B

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty Three – Plan B

Spike leaned sideways and peered around the vampire standing on his porch. "You're alone?" Angel nodded and opened his mouth, but Spike spoke before he could get a word out. "You're here to tell me that you fed the Watcher to Dru, aren't you? That's why I haven't heard from the old man in almost a week."

Angel inwardly sighed with relief. He'd been sure that Giles had already told Spike about what he'd done to Thomas, but apparently Giles was laying low… or he was dead. Drusilla always did have a little trouble keeping her fangs to herself. Angel tried not to smile – a smile would tip Spike off faster than almost anything else – and he tried to keep the relief out of his voice when he said, "I showed him the library…"

Spike laughed, "You turned an ex-librarian Watcher loose in a library? We'll be lucky to see him before Christmas… next year."

Angel chuckled slightly and nodded. "Yeah."

"So what're you doin' here then?"

Angel dropped his eyes and studied his shoes as he tried to inject as much sincerity as he could into his voice, "I… uh… I've been doing a lot of thinking…"

"Brooding, you mean."

Angel looked up, anger flashing on his face as he battled with Angelus to keep him from just reaching out and tearing Spike's head off. "No… thinking. Can you just shut up long enough for me to say this?"

Spike leaned his shoulder against the doorframe wearing a bored expression. "All right, I'm listening. Go ahead."

"Like I said, I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I didn't want to do this on the phone, so…"

"Do what?" Angel closed his eyes for a few seconds in frustration and Spike smirked. "Right. Shutting up."

Angel opened his eyes again, his brown orbs locked with Spike's blue ones. "I drove down here because I… I wanted to apologize to you and Buffy."

Spike's mouth dropped open, the smirk wiped completely from his features as a look of incredulous shock took its place. "You? Apologize to **me**? In what universe would you ever do that?"

Angel tried not to growl, but Angelus was getting harder and harder to keep under control. Angel was also slightly concerned about the blocks of time he'd lost in the last couple of days, when he'd suddenly been in places around his building that he didn't remember going to. And dealing with his insolent grandchilde was not helping his control in the least. He closed his eyes and snarled at Angelus, trying to get him to back off, then said calmly, "This one, apparently. Are you going to let me in or not? I only want to do this once, so could we go get Buffy so I can get it over with?"

Spike just stood staring at him for a moment then stepped back, waving the older vampire in. "Slayer's in the kitchen. Come on." Spike turned and started for the dining room, not noticing the evil smile Angel was sporting as he stepped over the threshold and closed the door.

Spike had only gotten three steps into the dining room when something hard crashed down on the back of his skull and he crumpled to the floor in a heap. Angel stood over him, clutching tightly in his fist the piece of enchanted black onyx he'd hit Spike with. "I know I've told you at least a hundred times to never turn your back on me. Guess I'll have to punish you for that. It'll be just like old times. Get ready to spend some 'quality time' with Angelus, Willy me boy. Think I'll let him out long enough to have some fun with you." He closed his eyes as images of all the 'fun' he'd had with a fledgling William during his pre-soul days washed through his mind then he lowered his hand and started for the kitchen, not noticing the tendrils of inky black smoke that slithered from the stone and wrapped around Spike's head.

Buffy heard something thump in the dining room and reached over to turn the music down as she cocked an ear toward the door. She called out, "Spike? Xander? You guys need some help?" When there was no answer, she put down the ice cream scoop and started for the door. She was just about to push it open when it slammed into her, knocking her back. She landed on the floor, her hands coming up to try to stem the blood flowing from her nose. She heard someone step into the kitchen and looked up just in time to see something dark speeding toward her head. It connected with her temple with a solid crack and then all she saw were stars that quickly faded into darkness.

Angel knelt down next to her, lightly stroking her cheek with his fingertips as he said, "You love me, Buffy. We're soul mates. You don't love Spike, you love me. We live in Los Angeles and you work with me at the firm. You don't love Spike, you love me. You came with me when I left Sunnydale after you beat the Mayor. You don't love Spike, you love me." He stopped talking then closed his eyes and pictured the life he wanted Buffy to believe was hers – just like the mage had instructed him to – as he held the magical stone above her forehead.

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Xander juggled the three pizzas and two bottles of soda he was carrying as he gave up waiting for somebody to answer the door and fumbled it open. "Hey, guys! I'm coming in so put your clothes back on!" Spike's duster started ringing, but with his hands full, Xander couldn't dig the phone out so he yelled again, "Hey, Spike! Your cell phone is ringing!" He made it into the living room and plopped the pizzas and sodas onto the coffee table. "You guys here? Anybody?"

Spike's cell cut off just as Xander started for the duster and a few seconds later the house phone started ringing. Xander dove for the couch, searching for the handset and found it stuffed between the arm and the cushion. He breathlessly pushed the button. "Hello? Uh… Summers residence, Xander speaking."

"Xander? Where is Spike?"

"Giles? Wow, haven't heard from you for a while. How's LA? Angel being a good little bloodsucker?"

"Where is Spike?"

"I don't know. I just got back and he's not in the living room or dining room. I haven't checked upstairs yet, but I'm not sure I want to. They're probably doing the horizontal mambo, and I…"

"Xander!"

"Giles?"

"It is vitally important that you locate Spike immediately. I'll wait."

"Uh… ok. Be right back." He started to set the phone down on the couch then rolled his eye at himself and started for the stairs, still clutching it in his hand. "Spike? Buffy? You guys up here? I'm coming up, so you'd better have your clothes on when I get there!" He quickly checked each room then headed back downstairs, stepping into the empty kitchen. There were three buckets of melting ice cream sitting on the counter, but no Buffy or Spike. He trotted down the stairs into the basement and back up then poked his head out into the back porch, but all he saw was the sleeping boulder demon in the back yard. He turned around to head back into the dining room and that's when he saw it – spatters and smears of blood on the kitchen floor.

"Uh, Giles? I think we may have a problem."

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Spike groaned around the gag in his mouth and closed his eyes, his lashes brushing against the blindfold he was wearing. God, his head hurt, and not just from the lump he could feel on the back whenever his head brushed the wall he was chained to. He was pretty sure his nose was broken and he could feel sticky blood on his cheeks, chin, and neck, so Angelus must have started the punishment while he was unconscious, which was a bit unusual, considering that he loved to hear Spike's cries of pain.

His head was the only thing that hurt… so far… so it looked like this was another of the sadistic git's 'Take It From The Top' punishments. If he stayed true to form, Angelus would stuff him full of blood and then Spike's torso would be punished – most likely with a metal bar or a set of brass knuckles. Then more blood before the whip would start punishing everything from the waist down. Everything. And of course Angelus would make sure to turn him around so he'd be able to mark up every square inch of Spike's legs before he'd bugger him bloody and then sodomize him with the handle of the whip. Then, by the time he'd flayed the skin off Spike's feet, Spike's face would be mostly healed and the cycle would start over. The last time this had happened, Angelus had cycled through seven times before he'd gotten bored, keeping Spike chained to the wall of the lair for nearly two months.

Spike was trying to remember what he'd done to anger his Grandsire enough to earn this punishment, but there seemed to be a gray fuzzy cloud blocking out most of his memories. He knew who he was and who the members of his immediate family were, but the only memories he could pull up dealt with nothing **but** his immediate family. He did have one clear flash of someone who wasn't his family, but it had been gone almost before he'd registered what it was – a small woman with shining blonde hair twirling as she fought.

He'd tried to pull her back up, see if he could get a look at her face, but he could remember nothing else, no one else, no matter how hard he'd concentrated, so he'd shrugged, finally deciding that it must have been Darla he'd seen. But why he'd be thinking of Darla when he was chained to a wall about to be beaten to within an inch of his unlife was a mystery, considering he hated her and tried his very best not to even acknowledge her existence. He especially hated how she'd stand there, laughing with delight whenever Angelus struck particularly hard or in a sensitive area. Watching Angelus whip his dangly bits seemed to be her favorite pastime other than shagging the great hulking lummox.

Spike silently sent up a wish that she'd be off visiting the Master during this punishment. That way Dru wouldn't have to see it, either, since Darla usually took her along. Watching Angelus punish him always sent Dru even further around the twist, and it would take weeks to get her back to some semblance of normalcy.

Because of the blindfold and his swollen nose, he hadn't been able to figure out where his Grandsire had him chained this time, but it sounded big. Anytime he'd moved, scraping his feet on the floor or rattling the chains attached to his wrists, the sound had echoed, so he was in a large room… somewhere. The wall behind him felt like stone. It was cold and damp against his bare skin, so he was guessing that he was in a cave, but that was all he'd been able to come up with.

He slumped against the wall, relaxing his arms as much as possible and letting his head drop onto his shoulder. Best get some sleep while he could. Who knew when Angelus would come back to start the next phase of the punishment?

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Buffy opened her eyes and groaned as bright spears of pain lanced through her head. She lifted her hand and gingerly touched her nose, wincing at the painful throb. Her fingers slipped up to her temple and she winced again at the blood matted hair she found. She didn't want to chance lifting her head, so she just turned it slightly, taking in her surroundings. "A hotel room? What am I doing in a hotel room?"

The door suddenly swept open and Angel stepped through, a fast food bag in one hand and a first aid kit in the other. "Oh good, you're awake. I was starting to get worried; you've been unconscious for a few hours. I brought you something to eat and some bandages to take care of that cut on your head." He pushed the door closed with his foot and moved toward the bed, setting the bag down on the nightstand before sitting down next to her and opening the first aid kit.

Buffy scooted slightly away from him. "Angel? What are you doing here? Where **is** here?"

"Sunnydale. We came down from LA to help the new slayer and decided to do a patrol for old time's sake. Don't you remember the Fyarl demon that hit you with a rock?"

"New slayer? LA? What? We? What do you mean, we?"

"You and me. We come down to help out once in a while."

Buffy's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she maneuvered herself into a sitting position, trying to ignore the throbbing in her head. "**We** don't do anything, Angel. Where's Spike?"

Angel flinched then pasted a smile on his face. "Spike? Wow, that Fyarl demon must have hit you harder than I thought. We haven't seen Spike in years, not since he took off to South America with Dru."

Buffy's eyes narrowed further, but now it was in anger. "Bullshit. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but I was with him earlier! At my house! We're going to be mated!" She reached up and fingered Spike's Claim mark, just above the collar that only Spike could remove, and she suddenly noticed that Angel had the singed fingertips to prove it. "See? This is his mark! What the hell have you done to me and where the hell is Spike?"

Angel sighed as his shoulders slumped in dejection, "It didn't work."

"What didn't work?"

Angel reached over to the nightstand and hefted a pear-sized black rock. "This." Then he swung his hand out lightning fast, the rock connecting with Buffy's temple once again. The force of his blow threw her sideways across the bed and sent her crashing to the floor on the other side. He tucked the rock into his pocket then walked around the bed and hefted Buffy up over his shoulder. "The mage told me it might not be strong enough to overcome the Claim, but I had to try. Guess it's time for plan B."


	64. Chapter 64 A Fair Go

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty Four – A Fair Go

Angel stomped into the cavern with an unconscious Buffy slung over his shoulder, not even glancing at Spike as he headed for the set of chains sitting on the floor on the other side of the room. He'd thought about leaving her in the car while he secured the bleached pain in his ass for transport, but he hadn't planned for Buffy's memory reset to fail so he didn't have any kind of restraints in the car. And considering his luck so far today, she'd regain consciousness while he was gone and muster the troops to hunt him down, so now he'd have to put his vampire strength to the test to carry both of them the mile and a half through the tunnels to the surface then another half a mile to where he'd left the car. Unless, of course, he wanted to make two trips, which he really didn't. And why had he thought it would be a good idea to hide Spike away so far underground again?

Spike had managed to push the blindfold off and was awake and watching warily as he tried to ignore the incessant buzzing in the back of his mind that had started about thirty minutes ago. At first it had felt like someone was trying to speak to him, but the words had been faint and garbled then had faded into an unpleasant sensation similar to the buzz from fluorescent lights. He squeezed his eyes shut then leaned his head back against the wall with a tired sigh; "Time for the next bit then, is it?"

"What?" Angel stopped and turned to face him, blinking in surprise at Spike's nakedness. Angel didn't remember making him naked. He remembered bringing him down here and chaining him up then… nothing… until he found himself sitting in his car in a hotel parking lot with an unconscious Buffy in the passenger seat. Angel also didn't remember leaving Spike's face and neck covered in blood and bruises or with what looked like a broken nose.

Spike lifted his head, schooling his features into an insolent smirk. "Brought me dinner, have you, 'Gelus? Bint's a bit small, don't you think? Won't be enough blood in that one to heal me up for the next go round." He nodded toward the blood smeared down the side of Buffy's face. "'Specially since you've already wasted a good bit of it."

Angel blinked. Again. "What?"

Spike nodded at Buffy. "My dinner? You want me to eat the bint so I'll heal up after you spend the next several hours beatin' the hell out of me. Any of this ringin' a bell? Not like this is our first time at this particular party, 'Gelus. 'Course, with her bein' so tiny, you'll have to bring me someone larger next time. Or a pair."

Angel lowered Buffy's inert form to the floor at his feet then twisted his hand in her hair and held her head up so Spike could see her face. "Don't you recognize her?"

A flash of confusion pushed the insolent smirk aside for a few seconds before Spike pasted it back on. "No. Should I? Figured her for a tart the way she's dressed. You trollin' for it now? Darla cut you off again?"

Angel looked down at Buffy. She was wearing a cream peasant blouse with a peach skirt that stopped just above her knees and a pair of strappy sandals. Her clothes were perfectly respectable as far as current fashion went, considering that this was California and women regularly walked around wearing less fabric than it took to make a handkerchief, so why would Spike think she was a prostitute? And Darla? She'd been dust for years. The gears in Angel's head started ticking over and he looked back up at Spike. "What year is it?"

Spike's look of confusion was back as he regarded the elder vampire. "You gone senile or something, mate? Get some bad blood somewhere?"

Angel snarled, "Just answer the feckin' question, boy."

Spike flinched slightly at the menace in Angel's voice and stammered, "Think you rattled my brains a bit this time, Sire, things are fuzzy, but I think it's 1890. That ballet we attended is the last thing I remember clearly."

Angel's brow furrowed as he tried to remember where they'd been in 1890. "Giselle? In St. Petersburg?" Spike nodded hesitantly then flinched again when Angel smacked himself in the forehead. "Shit! I did the wrong one! I shouldn't have hit him with the stone. Idiot!" Angel let go of Buffy and started pacing around the cave, not noticing when she fell forward, her forehead bouncing harshly off the stone floor. _'Okay. Slight change of plans. I won't be able to torture him with the fact that I've taken his woman from him **again**… once the mage finds a spell that will work on her, that is… because he doesn't even remember her, so there's no reason to take him back to LA. I'll just dust him, grab her, and go.'_

He stopped suddenly as Angelus surged to the forefront of his mind with a harsh growl, "You **are** an idiot! It doesn't matter how many spells you cast on the bitch! She doesn't love you and she never will! And dusting him will only piss her off and you'll spend the rest of your existence looking over your shoulder! Is that what you want? I know it's not what I want! She needs to die. I know **you** won't kill her, so let **him** do it. You told him about Slayers, so tell him she's a Slayer and let him go. Once she's dead, break the spell and he'll remember everything he's done. He'll be so beautifully broken from knowing he killed the woman he loves with his own two fangs… it'll be delicious."

Angel reached up and gripped his hair tight in his fists. "I can't do that. I can't let him kill her. I don't want her dead!"

Angelus sighed, "That's what I thought. You're useless. It's still a little too soon, but let's see if this works," then he whispered the incantation he'd tortured out of the mage.

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Xander picked listlessly at the piece of pizza he was holding then tossed it back into the box. "We should really put a Lo-Jack on those two if they're gonna keep getting themselves kidnapped every few weeks."

Willow frowned. "But why would Angel kidnap them? I don't get it. Are we sure it was Angel?"

Dawn hooked her thumb over her shoulder toward back of the house as she stepped into the living room. "That's who Francis saw walking up to the house and Billy only smelled one new scent when we got back, so by process of elimination… yeah, it was Angel. And it doesn't matter **why** he did it; we'll worry about why later, right now we need to worry about **where**."

Xander said quietly, "And who. It might not be **Angel** we're dealing with. If he's all large with the kidnapping… and from what Giles said about Drusilla's vision…"

Dawn sat down next to Billy and squeezed his hand, a tingle of fear running through her. "It might be Angelus."

Tara lowered her hands from her head then pinched the bridge of her nose. "Spike's awake, but it's like he doesn't know how to talk back to me. I'm not even sure he can hear me, and if he can, I don't know if I'm making any sense to him. And I can't get through to Buffy at all. She's been unconscious for a long time."

Willow reached down into the bag at her feet, lifting out a map of Sunnydale and a small leather-bound book. "So which should we do first, locator spell or disinvite spell?"

Everyone except Billy chorused, "Disinvite," as Tara reached out to accept the book from Willow.

Dawn smacked her forehead. "Wait. It won't work here. This is Spike's house. We have to be in a house that a human owns for a disinvite spell to work."

Tara looked up from the book she was paging through. "But you claimed the house earlier and Spike agreed. Mystically, that should be enough to make it yours."

"Yeah, but I'm not human, either. Mystically, I'm a glowy key thingy, remember?"

Tara nodded. "You're right." She closed the book she was holding and stuffed it into her bag then dug around, coming up with a different book. "So we'll put up a general barrier ward like I have on the mansion. That will keep him out."

Dawn chuckled. "And it'll be funny watching him bounce off."

Willow looked at Xander. "Do you want to go get Anya and Will and bring them here?"

Xander shook his head. "No. Deadboy's never been invited into our place, but I'll call her and tell her not to invite him in if he shows up there." He lifted the handset off the coffee table and walked into the kitchen as he dialed.

Billy watched the activity as Tara and Willow started setting up for the ward and he listened to Anya's frightened voice as she talked to Xander. He squeezed Dawn's hand and whispered, "Angelus is that bad?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, he's that bad. Take Riley times like a hundred and you'll start to come close to how bad he is."

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Buffy opened her eyes and groaned as bright spears of pain lanced through her head… again. And now a lump on her forehead was throbbing. Apparently Angel had built a new ride for her headache carnival while she'd been out. "I am going to shove a stake so far up his ass he'll dust from it, that son of a bitch."

"Might be a bit hard to do, what with you bein' chained up like that, pet."

She whipped her head up fast enough to crack her neck then moaned in pain as spots danced before her eyes. She had to blink several times to clear her vision then she breathed out a relieved sigh when the blurry figure across the cave finally came into focus, "Spike! God, I was so worried about you! Are you okay?"

Spike tilted his head. "Come again? How do you know me, and why would you be worried 'bout me? I've never seen you before."

"You've never… I'm Buffy! Buffy Summers? Your girlfriend?"

A low chuckle rolled through the cavern as a dark figure stepped out of the shadows. "He doesn't remember you, Buff. Not at all. Isn't that just delicious, **lover**?"

Buffy's eyes widened as she took in the leather pants and silk shirt, then she closed them with a defeated sigh, "Angelus. Great. And the buckets of suck just keep on coming."

Spike's head was still tilted and now his eyebrow went up. "You know him, too? Who are you?" He looked over at his Grandsire, noting how he carried himself much more like the Angelus he was used to, compared with how he'd acted when he'd brought the little blonde woman to the cave – if one ignored his odd attire.

He followed his Grandsire's gaze to the woman. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, like he **should** recognize her. He wished his nose wasn't still too swollen to let him smell properly because he was almost desperate to figure this out. This tiny woman claimed to know them both and Angelus hadn't fed her to him yet or drained her himself, and he'd called her _lover,_ which was odd. Yeah, Angelus liked to play with his food, but he wouldn't play with it in a dank cave. He was spoiled. He wouldn't do anything like that anywhere but a nice posh bed, where he could be comfortable while he terrorized them and violated their bodies.

The woman lifted her gaze to him again, the barest hint of tears in her eyes, then she tilted her head, flipping her hair back, and Spike gasped. She had a vampire bite on her neck. **His** bite. He'd recognize it anywhere. His eyes flew to Angelus then he nodded at the woman. "What the bloody hell is goin' on here, 'Gelus? Why's that chit wearin' my mark?"

She answered before Angelus could with a sobbed, "Because you Claimed me, Spike. We're gonna be mated."

Spike scoffed, "That's impossible! Why would I Claim some bird I've never met? I love Dru, you barmy bint! If I'd Claimed anyone, it'd be her! You're just some trollop I sampled while I was waitin' on my Dark Princess! It's no wonder I don't remember you! You're nothin' to me! Just a meal!"

Angelus laughed. "This is perfect." He strode over to Spike, reaching up to unfasten the manacles around his wrists. "You remember when I told you about Slayers, boy?" Spike nodded slowly as he brought his hands down and started rubbing the raw skin around his wrists. Angelus backed up a few steps then flicked a glance back over his shoulder. "Well, that little girl over there is a Slayer. The one girl in all the world chosen to kill our kind. And she's all yours. A gift from me to you. Think you can take her?"

Spike looked over at the bound woman then grinned ferally as he bounced on the balls of his feet and rolled his shoulders. "Bloody right, I can."

Angelus moved to the entrance of the cave then turned around, sporting an evil grin. He tossed something at Spike and Spike caught it then held it in the palm of his hand. A key. "You can leave her bound or you can release her, your choice. I'll be back later to see who won."

Spike frowned at his Grandsire. "You're not gonna watch?"

"No. I've got a few people I want to pay a visit to before I leave this town for good. Got some old scores to settle and I won't get the chance if she dusts you."

Buffy's gaze flew to Angelus and if looks could stake, he'd be Dust Buster food. "You leave my family alone! You touch any of them and you'll be begging me to stake you! I'll hurt you in ways even **you've** never thought of!"

Angel tsked, "Now, now, Buff. You shouldn't be worried about what I'm doing; you should be worried about the deadly vampire I'm leaving here with you. Have fun, lover." His laughter carried back through the tunnels as he made his way to the surface.

Spike moved over to a pile of clothing he'd spied next to the wall and he fished out a pair of odd looking trousers. They were heavy black cloth with metal buttons to fasten the flies and they had no buttons on the waistband for attaching his braces, not that he found any in the pile. He also had to work inordinately hard to get them on as they seemed to be a size too small. The shirt he found, made from a lighter cloth than the trousers, but also black, seemed to be too small as well, clinging to his torso instead of hanging loose like the linen shirts he was used to. The only familiar items in the lot were the socks, again black, and the boots, also black, although they were more of a common worker's boot than a gentleman's boot.

The boots actually fit him surprisingly well, like they'd been made specifically for him. Once he'd finished tying the laces, vowing to secure some proper attire as soon as he was finished with the girl, he stood up and turned to her then started tossing the key into the air as he sauntered over. "So, pet, you want to die chained or would you rather have a fair go?"


	65. Chapter 65 First Dibs

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty Five – First Dibs

"So, pet, you want to die chained or would you rather have a fair go?"

Buffy looked up at him. "Angelus explained to you what a Slayer is, right?" Spike nodded. "So you do realize that if you let me out of these chains I'll kick your pasty ass all over this cave… right?"

Spike chuckled, "Big talk for such a tiny thing. All right then. Fair go it is." He stepped close enough to free one wrist then pressed the key into her palm before he moved away. "Get yourself loose, kitten, and let's dance."

Buffy freed her other wrist and stood up, rubbing the reddened skin. She used the hem of her shirt to wipe the blood from her eye then stepped away from the wall, dropping into a fighting stance as they started circling each other. "Angelus did something to you, Spike. He made it so you don't remember me. You aren't with Dru anymore and you haven't been for a long time. She's mated to a vampire named Thomas now."

Spike roared and lunged, his fist whistling past her nose as she leaned back. "Lies! She's mine! We're forever!"

Buffy easily dodged several more blows, using the advantage of knowing his fighting style when he couldn't remember hers, even though his moves were a little clumsier and more telegraphed than usual. She ended up behind him and punched him in the kidney, not using her full strength – she didn't want to hurt him, just get him down so she could try to talk some sense into him – and he roared again as he spun to face her. He rubbed at the spot she'd punched then sneered at her as they continued to circle. "That all you got, Missy? It didn't even hurt."

Buffy shrugged. "This isn't a fair fight, Spike. I already know all your moves and I could've dusted you by now if I'd wanted to."

"Bollocks! You don't know anythin' 'bout me!" He lunged and Buffy avoided every punch and kick, spinning and twirling under and around his flailing limbs as she positioned herself behind him again. She swept his feet from under him and he landed hard on his stomach with a loud grunt.

She jumped on him before he could vault back to his feet, straddling his upper thighs with her knees pressed tight against his sides, then she grabbed his wrists, twisting his arms up behind his back as she pushed his torso hard against the floor of the cave. "See? I know what you're going to do before you do it." She sat for a few minutes, wearing a frown as he struggled to get out of her grip. She was trying to figure out what to tell him that would break whatever spell Angelus had cast and she couldn't think of a damn thing.

Spike stopped moving just as her lips curved up into a small smile. She'd never been good with words, but actions? Yeah, she was all actiony Buffy. She squeezed his wrists slightly as she sent up a silent wish that what she was about to do would snap him out of this, then she took a deep breath and said, "I've known you for years, Spike, and I know a lot of things about you, like that you're ticklish right here…" She switched the grip on his wrists to her left hand then lifted his shirt and trailed the fingertips of her right hand across his low back, brushing them lightly against the two small dips where his spine met his pelvis.

He squirmed underneath her, trying unsuccessfully to stop the laughter from bubbling out of his mouth. She stopped tickling and leaned over him, brushing her lips against his ear as she breathed out, "And I know that if I suck right here…" She sucked the lobe into her mouth then moved to a spot just below his ear and sucked hard, smiling when he moaned and started rocking his hips against the floor of the cave. "…it makes you do that. And if I bite you right here…" She nipped and licked down to the junction of his neck and shoulder where she'd bitten him before. She licked and nipped at her chosen spot until Spike was moaning louder and his hip rocking had picked up speed then she bit down hard, drawing blood. Spike howled and bucked, almost throwing her off him, but she tightened her grip with her legs as she lapped at the blood seeping from her bite. "…you make that noise. And I love hearing it, just like I love you. You're mine, Spike, and I'm yours. Show me your demon and I'll let you taste me and then you'll know I'm telling the truth."

Spike lay still and panted, ripples of pleasure coursing through his body as he tried in vain to understand how this little chit knew all these things about him. Drusilla didn't even know he was ticklish; she'd never taken the time to explore his body the way he had hers, and that spot below his ear? **He** hadn't even known about that, but as soon as her lips had touched it, he'd been hard as stone and wanting nothing more than to flip her over and shag her through the floor. Then she'd bitten him and he'd almost released in his trousers like a ruddy schoolboy. And she loved him? How was that possible? **Had** Angelus done something to him? Why? He kept trying to puzzle it out, but she'd started mouthing her bite again, bringing him to the razor's edge of orgasm as she nipped gently and worried at his flesh, which made it extremely difficult to think.

Her hand trailed up his arm and over his shoulder until her fingertips were brushing his bottom lip then she whispered against his bloody skin, "Change for me, Spike."

He stopped trying to figure things out and obliged her, snarling as his fangs burst through his gums. He snapped at her fingers, but she pulled them back before he could bite, then she sank her own teeth into his flesh and he howled again, bucking violently against her as he climaxed. She clamped her legs down tight and literally rode out his orgasm until he finally stilled, panting harshly, and while his mouth was open, she quickly sliced her thumb deeply on his fang then pressed the bleeding digit to his tongue. He instinctively closed his lips around it and sucked the blood from the wound, his eyes rolling back in his head and a growly moan issuing from deep in his chest as the taste burst on his tongue. She let him suck until the wound was closed then she pulled her thumb from his mouth with a small pop and sat up, gripping his wrists tightly as the swirling gray cloud in his mind began to dissipate.

He went limp and turned his face to the floor, pressing his forehead hard against the stone. "You can let me up now, Slayer."

Buffy didn't loosen her hold on his wrists. "Who am I, Spike? Who am I to you?"

He growled into the stone, "My soon to be mate who's gonna help me capture my wanker of a Grandsire. And once we've got him… that idea you had 'bout shovin' a stake up his arse? Think we'll start with that, but not quite far enough to dust him. Then I'm gonna clock him in his enormous cranium with whatever he clocked me with in the dining room. And then we'll have a meetin' to decide what else to do. I'm open to suggestions, the bloodier and more painful the better. Imagine Xan'll have a few good ideas; he never liked the poof. And Demon Girl? With over a thousand years of vengeance behind her? Can't wait to see what she comes up with. Better not mention it to Niblet, though. That girl…" He shuddered slightly. "Yeah, she can be downright scary when she wants to be." He turned his face back to the side and looked up at her, his golden eyes full of recognition and love as they melted back to blue. "I'd better let the Scoobs know he's loose 'fore he tracks 'em down, pet, then I need a fresh pair of denims. We've got a soon to be in tremendous amounts of pain tosser to find."

Buffy released him and stood up, pushing her skirt down from where it had ridden up on her hips. She squeaked when Spike vaulted to his feet and had her wrapped in his arms in one smooth motion. He lowered his mouth to his mark and murmured, "Then we'll have to explore how you managed to get me off with your hot little mouth touchin' nothin' but my neck. That is definitely somethin' I want a repeat of." He started mouthing his mark, nipping lightly and sucking at the skin. "We'll have to see if it works on you, as well."

Buffy moaned as tingles of pleasure shot through her, "I'm thinking it'll be a yes, but right now we've got to go. He's out there and they don't know."

Spike moved his lips to hers for a bone melting kiss then released her and backed up a step, leaving her flushed and panting. "Right you are, luv. We'll find the wanker then I'm takin' you to bed and keepin' you there 'til we've fully explored this new development… at least a dozen times." He took her hand and started leading her out of the cave. "And my arse is not pasty. It's pleasantly pale."

XX

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XX

Xander peered at the map. "They're where?"

Willow pointed at the glowing red dot. "Those old caves on the edge of town. Way underground. I don't think anyone but Spike knows how to get down that far. Well… and Angel, I guess."

Dawn lifted the lid of the weapons chest in the living room. "But we're not going to ask him for directions, are we? We'll figure it out. Let's go."

Tara suddenly squeaked and pressed her fingers to her temples. Her brow furrowed in concentration for a few minutes then she smiled as she lowered her hands. "That was Spike. He's with Buffy and they're both fine and they'll explain everything when they get here." Her smile turned to a worried frown. "And we are dealing with Angelus." She looked at the front door. "Spike said he left to settle some old scores…"

Xander moved over to the weapons chest and hefted a large battle axe. "So he's probably on his way here right now."

Willow's fingers twitched at the hem of her shirt. "But he can't get in here, right? So all we have to do is stay inside. I'll get started on the resouling spell. Do we have an Orb of Thesula here?"

Tara shook her head. "There's one at the Magic Box, but I don't think re-souling him is the answer this time."

"Why not? It worked last time."

"Because Spike seems to think he still has his soul. He's just not using it right now."

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Angel crept silently through the back yard, skirting the huge demon that was snoring in the middle of it as he made his way closer to the house. Bouncing off an invisible barrier ten feet from the back porch was a surprise, as was the huge hand that closed around him and lifted him into the air.

He struggled in the boulder demon's grasp as the demon pounded his other hand against the ground, causing the trees on most of the block to quake violently. A cacophony of car alarms sounded up and down the street as the back porch door flew open and Xander barreled out into the yard, clutching a battle axe tight in his fists. He skidded to a stop well inside the barrier and his mouth dropped open. "Angelus?"

He turned to the group rushing out the door behind him and laughed, "Our back yard watch-demon caught the nasty little vermin." He threw a smirk at the still struggling vampire. "Geez, Angelus. Do you need glasses or something? How did you NOT notice the huge demon? It's not like he was hiding or anything." He stepped close to Francis and patted him on the knee. "Good job, Francis. Good job."

Francis' face cracked into a proud smile that he beamed at everyone in the back yard. And if he squeezed the vampire in his fist just a little too hard, making him squeak in a very un-vampire-like fashion? Well… too damn bad. Those were his pets and their friends and some dinky little vampire with stupid hair was NOT going to hurt them.

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Francis turned to check on the vampire standing frozen behind him then smiled and turned back to the group sitting in a circle of deck chairs on the other side of the yard. He really liked Tara. She had so many neat tricks she could do and the look on the stupid haired vampire's face when she'd frozen him had made Francis giggle. He turned back around then reached out and flicked a fingertip against the back of the vampire's head, giggling when it bounced forward and back like a bobble-head doll. It was the only part of the vampire that wasn't frozen, but he couldn't really control it, and he made such funny faces when Francis made it move.

Spike looked up as the ground shook and smirked at the giggling boulder demon. "Leave him alone, Francis. You're gonna knock his head right off you keep doin' that and I don't want this to be over that quick." Francis smiled sheepishly and turned back around, folding his massive hands into his lap as he grumbled something. Spike nodded. "I know he's fun to play with and I promise I'll let you play with him a bit later, but I've got first dibs, all right?" Francis smiled widely and settled in to wait. He'd get his turn. Master Spike had promised.


	66. Chapter 66 Memories

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty Six – Memories

Angelus glared at the boulder demon's back, his head throbbing from the half a dozen times it had been flicked. Things were NOT going according to plan and that was pissing him off. He waited for his chance, listening to the conversation floating to him from the other side of the massive demon that was blocking his view of all the people that, by rights, should have been begging him for mercy by now. They were talking about re-souling him again and he smiled. They could throw all the re-souling spells they wanted at him, but it wouldn't work. He still had his soul; it was just stuffed into a triple locked steel box that he'd buried way down in the back of his mind, and there was no way he was ever going to let it out.

Finally. The moment he'd been waiting for. He quickly muttered the counter-curse then shuddered as the freezing spell dissipated, leaving his limbs loose and twitchy. He dropped silently to all fours, focusing all his energy on controlling his body as the Slayer and her brat sister stood from their chairs and started for the house. Gritting his teeth, he regained his feet, only swaying a little, and reached into his pocket for the stone. He wouldn't be able to kill them all right now, he needed to get away and regroup, come up with a new plan, but he could sure as hell kill the Slayer. That would muddy the waters long enough for him to escape.

He edged out from behind the demon, moving around to the side closest to the house, then flicked his eyes toward the circle of chairs to make sure he couldn't be seen before locking them on the back of the small blonde woman. He hefted the rock and concentrated as he forced all his strength into the limb holding it. He needed to be accurate and he needed all his power behind the throw. If he was off the mark or the rock didn't hit hard enough, it would only make her angry, but if he timed it just right… He locked his gaze onto the spot where Buffy's skull was joined to her spine. Even a Slayer could be killed by internal decapitation.

He pulled his arm back and readied it for release, raising his other hand in front of him for balance. Just a few more steps…

XXXX

Billy didn't know what made him look over at Francis. He'd been busy watching Dawn walk across the grass toward the back porch and the boulder demon had been sitting quietly after Spike's admonishment to leave Angelus alone, so there was no reason to look at him, but... There. The fingers of somebody's hand just barely visible behind a massive elbow. Angelus was loose!

Billy jumped to his feet and darted through the chairs, intending to get around Francis and do… something. He didn't know what, not being a fighter by nature, but Dawn was in danger and he would do everything in his limited power to protect her.

He barreled around Francis' massive knee just as Angelus snapped his arm forward.

XXXX

Spike wrenched his gaze away from Buffy's backside when Billy's boot grazed his shin. The red-headed vampire was sprinting for all he was worth toward Francis and, without thinking, Spike bolted to his feet and followed him. He caught up just as something flew out from behind Francis and collided with Billy's head. It connected just above Billy's ear with a loud thunk and he dropped like a sack of wet cement, skidding through the damp grass until he fetched up against a small tree.

Angelus roared in fury and launched himself at the blond vampire who'd suddenly appeared in front of him. Spike was caught off guard and took a blistering punch to the jaw that spun him around, his arms flying out like a rag doll's. He landed on all fours, dazed and bleeding from a gouge on his cheek as Angelus stalked forward, completely focused on the body in front of him and not paying any attention to the other bodies in the yard.

XXXX

Buffy froze at the roar then spun around, scanning the yard for threats. Her eyes fell on Spike just as Angelus' foot connected with his ribcage, sending him flying several feet across the yard. He landed on his back with a grunt and barely caught the foot in his hands when it drove down, intending to crush his sternum. Spike twisted and shoved, throwing the larger vampire backwards.

Angelus landed with a grunt of his own then couldn't pull any air to make any more noises because a massive hand was pressing him into the soft earth.

XXXX

Dawn dropped to her knees beside Billy and gently pressed a hand to his cheek. "There's so much blood! God! Somebody help him!"

Buffy wrapped her arms around her sister and pulled her away as Spike reached out to gently roll Billy over. The left side of his head was partially caved in, blood pouring from the hole in his skull and splattering on the grass beneath him. Drusilla's words flashed through Spike's mind as he whipped off his t-shirt and pressed it to Billy's head, wincing as his broken ribs grated together. _'Rubies drip drip dripping… splashing on the green. He will take what was meant for her. Ripping… gaping… drops of ruby becoming a flood. He will come for her… furious black hate filling him up. The stars will see… but she will not… he'll sneak… sneak… sneaky little monkey will tip tip tip-toe…'_

He muttered under his breath, "You called it, Dru. Bloody spot on, like always," then he looked up at Dawn. "He'll be all right, Niblet. He's not dust, so he'll be all right."

Dawn turned and buried her face in Buffy's neck, and Buffy caught Spike's anguished gaze and mouthed, "Will he?"

Spike slightly shook his head and mouthed back, "Don't know, luv," then turned back to Billy. "Need to get him inside. Xan, you help me carry him. Red, you go heat me four bags of blood, and Glinda, you go to the mansion and get whatever healin' mojo you've got for vampires."

Buffy whispered, "What do you want me to do?"

"Exactly what you're doin' right now, pet. Keepin' care of Niblet."

The witches moved quickly to obey and Xander moved to the other side of Billy then bent down as Spike stood and did the same. Together, they lifted him off the ground and started carrying him toward the back porch. Willow was already there holding the door open, then she followed them through and pulled open the basement door as she asked quietly, "Do you want a straw or a spoon to feed him with?"

Spike didn't look back as they started down the stairs. "Neither. The blood's for me so I'll have enough to feed him. And my blood'll be all he'll eat 'til he's recovered."

Xander waited until they'd reached the bottom of the stairs before he whispered, "Will he recover? Can vamps come back from this kind of damage?"

Spike's face was stony as they gently lowered Billy onto the mattress. "I don't know, but I'm going to do everything I can to help him. He saved Buffy's life, just like Dru said he would." A growl rumbled through the basement as Spike's eyes bled gold and his hands curled into fists. "He meant to kill the Slayer with a bloody **rock**! Couldn't even fight her; let her go out in battle the way she deserves, the chicken shit pillock! And **I'm** the 'pathetic excuse for a vampire?' Least I've never snuck up on a Slayer and killed 'er with a fuckin' rock!"

Xander glanced back up the stairs as he heard Buffy and Dawn come into the house. "I know this probably isn't the right time, but what do we do with Angelus?"

Spike took several deep breaths then forced his hands open and his eyes back to blue. "Have Francis cart him to the mansion. Ring Woozy on the way and tell him to meet you with a set of chains then restrain the bastard and toss him into a cell… the large one with the drain in the floor." Spike's face slid into his demon visage and his voice took on a chill that Xander had never heard before as he snarled, "And I will be the only person he'll see for as long as I let him exist. No one will enter his cell but me. No one."

Xander backed up, afraid of Spike for the first time in over a decade, and stammered, "Right. I'll just be going now… and doing that."

He was halfway up the stairs when he barely caught Spike's growled, "The world has seen the last of Angelus. And my demon will be the last thing he'll see as I rip his heart out with my bare hands."

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"Good, Billy, that's good! Just two more steps!" Billy shuffled forward the final distance then Dawn helped him turn and sit on the couch. She sat down next to him and pulled him into a hug. "You're getting stronger every day. I'm so proud of you!"

Billy laid his head on her shoulder and concentrated on what he wanted to say. Language had been one of the first things to come back, and while he understood everything that was said to him, speaking was still giving him problems. He could see the words in his head; now if he could only get his mouth to say them correctly. He wanted to get it right for her. He wanted to see her smile at him again, this beautiful woman who was always so nice to him, even when she was sad that he couldn't remember her from before his 'accident.' He pictured the words he wanted to tell her then pictured his mouth saying them. He could do this. "Thank you for helping me, Dawn. I like you."

Dawn pulled back wearing a bright smile that nearly melted the man she was smiling at. "I like you, too, Billy. What do you want to do today? Do you want to read, or watch TV, or play a game?"

The noise of the front door opening broke his concentration and he looked up, smiling at the blond man that had just stepped into the living room. "Hey, Billy, how are you today?"

Billy concentrated again, acutely aware of the six eyes on him as they waited for him to speak. "Dawn says I'm getting stronger."

Dawn nodded. "He is. He made it up the stairs all by himself!"

Spike smiled as he sat down next to Billy. "Good! We'll just keep feedin' you up and you'll be tip top in no time!"

Buffy sat on the coffee table in front of Billy and reached out to take his hands in hers. "You look a lot better today, Billy. Thank you again for saving me." Billy ducked his head and smiled shyly. He couldn't remember this woman from before, either, but she thanked him every time she saw him. He looked back up when she spoke again, but she was looking at Spike this time. "How much longer, do you think?"

Spike shrugged. "Don't know, pet, but considerin' it's only been two weeks, and he's only been up and about for one, I wouldn't think it would be too much longer. He's come a long way." He turned slightly on the couch and held up his arm. "Ready for brekkie? I topped up on Slayer blood 'fore we came over, so take as much as you want."

Billy concentrated again as he made his face change. He didn't have to concentrate as hard to do that as he did when he tried to speak, but it was still a struggle to bring out his demon. Being a vampire was the only thing he remembered from 'before,' and Spike took that as a good sign that he'd eventually recover the rest of his memories. And he really wanted that. He wanted to remember who these people were that were taking care of him. And what he'd done that made Buffy thank him all the time.


	67. Chapter 67 Interesting

Coming Through

Chapter Sixty Seven – Interesting

Angelus blinked as his cell door opened and a bright light hit him full in the face. The light stayed on him as the person holding it walked over to the table in the corner. There was the sound of metal clinking and the slither of leather then the person set the flashlight on the table and stepped away. "Afternoon, 'Gelus. Which part will it be today?"

Angelus groaned and closed his eyes, his head drooping forward. Spike always made him pick which part of his body would be whipped or cut or beat on every time he showed up. So far, he'd kept the damage to his torso, but with the tiny bit of blood Spike allowed him, he wasn't healing very well, and the new wounds would reopen the old ones, making him hurt just that much more. He sighed and mumbled, "Legs."

"Ah, you've finally decided to change things up a bit. Good. I was gettin' a tad bored. And you know me… I get bored easily." He stepped closer, wearing a huge grin. "Got some news for you that I think you'll like."

Angelus looked up at him, a small sliver of hope shining in his eyes that maybe Spike was going to let him go. "Yes?"

And Spike crushed that hope like it was a fag end under the heel of his boot. "Tonight's the night, mate! Buffy and I are gonna do the ritual! I'll be a mated vamp when I visit you tomorrow, isn't that brilliant?"

Angelus hung his head again and mumbled, "Yeah. Brilliant."

"Glad to see you so happy for us, 'Gelus. Warms my heart, it does."

Angelus looked up with a sneer. "Happy. Yeah. You know, it was Buffy's sweet little cunt that made me 'get happy' all those years ago. I had her first and broke her in good. Not as good as I could have, though. Not like I broke you in. Remember all those times I pulled you out of your wheelchair and bent you over the table? How you'd scream for me when I pushed into your sweet little ass? That's all you were ever good for, Spikey. Taking my cock."

Spike shook his head with a small chuckle. "Gettin' a bit desperate, yeah? You're not gonna get a rise out of me that way, 'Gelus. Tryin' to goad me into lettin' you loose so I can properly defend my pride and my woman? That's pathetic, even for you. You're never comin' out of those chains, you prat. Never."

"What if I let the soul out? You can't keep me here then. The Powers won't let you. Angel's their Champion, they need him."

Another chuckle. "Sure 'bout that, are you? Have you checked on your soul lately? Think you'll find it's gone missing." Angelus' face turned stricken as he checked his triple locked box, only to find it empty. "Had the witches strip it off you while you were unconscious the other day. It's floatin' in its bitty orb, locked up safe and sound in the room down the hall, warded and hidden from anyone but me." Angelus started to sputter and Spike backhanded him, bouncing his head off the wall. "And the Slayer and I had a bit of a meet and greet with the Powers last week. Seems they liked our offer of two Champions for the price of one. Me bein' soulless was a bit of a stickin' point at first, but once I explained that since I've no soul to lose… that I won't try to end the bleedin' world after gettin' my leg over, especially considerin' how often Buffy and I shag… well, they saw the benefit. So the Slayer and I will be takin' over your Championing business, mate, but you can keep the business cards and the pretentious office. We'll be workin' from home."

"They… they wouldn't do that! You're no Champion!"

"They would and they did. They've washed their hands of you, and as a 'Welcome to Bein' a Champion' gift, they gave you to me for as long as I feel like keepin' you."

"What about the Shanshu Prophecy? If Angel's out of the picture, it won't come true!"

Spike snorted. "Now you're just graspin' at straws. Prophecies? You know as well as I do that prophecies are a dime a dozen. Just 'cause some barmy bloke scribbles down a prophecy doesn't mean it's gonna come true. If that were the case then Buffy would've stayed dead when Old Batface killed her, but Xander bloody Harris – a completely human, clumsy, geeky high school kid – voided that prophecy when he brought her back. And you voided your own prophecy when you tried to kill the Slayer, you git. It's been wiped clean off the books, so even if I were to re-soul you, it wouldn't matter. You're done. And you're mine."

Angelus licked the blood from his lip and growled, "You can't do this! You aren't **allowed** to do this to me! I'm your elder! Let me go right now, William!"

Spike chuckled, "Never knew you were such a whiner, 'Gelus. Think it's 'bout time to see what other noises you can make." He unfurled the whip. "Now, my aim's probably not as good as yours, so I might hit 'other areas.' And I hope you don't mind me practicin' on you 'fore I visit Finn, but practice does make perfect, as they say." He cracked the end of the whip next to Angelus' upper thigh, making him flinch violently. "Soonest begun is soonest done. My girl's waitin' on me. "

The screams echoed down the hallway.

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Spike let himself into their suite, smiling at the multitude of candles giving off a soft glow. There was quiet music playing and a trail of rose petals leading to the bedroom. A note propped on the coffee table caught his attention and he shrugged off his duster, tossing it into the chair as he made his way over to the table.

* * *

_Spike,_

_Clothes off. Bedroom. Now._

_Buffy_

* * *

He laughed as he set the note down and started stripping off. "That's my girl. Ever the romantic." He kicked his jeans aside and walked around the couch, pausing to take a deep breath before he pulled the bedroom doors open. His breath left him in a whoosh when he caught sight of Buffy. She was starkers in the middle of the bed, leaning back against a pile of pillows with her knees drawn up, fully open to his gaze as she trailed a rose down her throat and across his mark.

It traveled down over her collar bone then she circled it lightly around one nipple as the fingers of her other hand plucked at its twin. "It's about time. I was just about to start without you."

No matter how many times he'd seen her like this, her golden skin glowing in the soft light, the sight always took his breath away. Literally. He stood slack-jawed just inside the door and watched as the rose bud traveled down across her stomach and brushed against the wiry hair at the apex of her thighs. It dipped lower, just brushing her nub, and he forced his lungs to inflate just far enough to breathe out, "Bloody hell."

Buffy beamed a smile at him, full of love and delight as she said, "Thank you."

He blinked stupidly and stammered, "What?"

She sat up just a bit, that love-filled smile still firmly in place as her eyes twinkled. "I said thank you. You know… for the compliment."

He replayed the last few minutes in his mind and his face screwed up in confusion. "All I said was bloody hell. I say that all the time, pet, so how's it a compliment?"

Buffy giggled quietly, the rose bud still tracing lightly across her sex. "It's not **what** you say, it's **how** you say it." She lifted the hand that had been plucking at her nipple and motioned toward his face. "When you look at me like that, with your face all awe-struck, like I'm the only thing you've ever wanted and you can't quite believe that I'm here and I'm real… Nobody but you has ever looked at me like that, Spike. Like I'm your whole world. So you could say anything, and as long as you had that look on your face, I'd take it as a compliment."

Spike grinned and stepped forward far enough that he could push the doors closed behind him. "So, as long as I'm lookin' at you like the goddess you are, I could say 'dried Fyarl demon snot makes a good doorstop' and you'd take it as a compliment?"

Buffy laughed as he stalked toward the bed. "Ok, maybe not **anything**, doofus."

Spike cocked his eyebrow as he lifted one knee to the bed. "I'm a doofus, am I? Hmmm. I give her a compliment and she calls me a doofus." He sighed dramatically, pressing the back of one hand to his forehead. "My heart is crushed now. And I had such plans for you."

Buffy sat up and reached for his arm, pulling him down on top of her. "Ok, I'm sorry, you're not a doofus," then she shyly bit her lip. "What plans?"

"Oh, a little of this…" He smirked and lowered his head, eliciting a moan as he brushed his lips over his mark. His lips continued to move south until they'd closed around a pert nipple. He sucked it in, nipping at it with blunt teeth, then smiled around it as Buffy pressed up into him with another moan. He let it go with a pop and licked his lips. "And a bit of that…" He slid down the bed until he was laying on his stomach with his chin resting on Buffy's pubic bone. "And quite a lot of this..." He dipped his head, licking her slick folds from bottom to top then sucking her nub into his mouth.

She arched her back, her fingers delving into his curls and holding on tight as he continued his assault. He licked and nipped and sucked until she was reduced to a quivering mass of tense muscles and breathy, gasping moans, then he slipped two fingers inside her pulsing channel, curving them just right to hit the spongy patch on her front wall. A hard press and a few quick sucks undid her at the seams and she screamed her pleasure at the ceiling as her thighs clamped tight on his head.

He rode out her orgasm, licking gently at her throbbing nub until she'd released his head, then with one last gentle suck he raised his head and smiled at her. "I'd say that was at least one plan I had the patience to see through to the end, yeah?"

Buffy's hands had dropped away from his head when he'd lifted it and she tried to raise them, intending to grab hold of him and pull him up her body, but they weren't cooperating. She panted, "I'm all noodly, Spike. Your plan made me all noodly. Come up here."

He crawled up her body and settled himself lightly between her wantonly spread thighs, the tip of his member just brushing her entrance. "You wanted me, pet?"

She nodded and murmured, "Always want you. I love you, Spike." She licked her lips and looked down to where they were almost joined. "Did you have any other plans for me? 'Cause if they're as good as the last one, I'm all for them."

Spike rocked his hips forward, sheathing himself in her tight heat with a groan. "Got a few, luv." He looked up at the headboard, making sure the trio of candles were burning and arranged properly, then he slipped his hand under the pillow, closing it around the sprig of dried herbs. He pulled it out then crushed the sprig in his fist and sprinkled the herbs on the pillow around Buffy's head. "You remember what you have to do? And you're sure? Once we start, there's no goin' back."

Buffy lifted her hips, pulling him in deeper as she whispered, "I'm ready, Spike, and I'm sure. I want to be mated to you. Make me yours."

"As you wish, kitten." He pulled out slowly then pressed back in just as slowly as he started the incantation. The foreign words rolled off his tongue as he continued the slow thrusts, only speeding up when he could feel the power start to build around them. His words got louder when his demon came out and his thrusts got harder, causing Buffy to grunt with each one as he drove into her. She'd finally regained the use of her limbs and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his pistoning hips as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, pulling his fangy mouth to the mark above her collar.

He shouted the last few words then bit hard, sinking his fangs into her flesh up to the gum line. He pulled two mouthfuls then raised his head, letting some of her blood spill out over his chin and drip down to her heaving chest. She dropped one hand from around his neck and used her fingertips to rub the blood into the skin above her hammering heart then she touched them to Spike's chest above his silent heart, again rubbing the blood into the skin before shouting her own part of the incantation. Power crackled around the bed, shooting sparks of energy around the room, and a mystic wind suddenly picked up, blowing the curtains up and away from the window.

A bolt of lightning struck the window frame just as Buffy's teeth sank to the gumline in Spike's flesh. He threw his head back and howled as she sucked hard at his blood, swallowing quickly. She released his neck and pulled his mouth to hers, their blood mingling on their tongues as the power reached a crescendo. Spike lifted up, sliding his arms under Buffy's legs then folding her almost in half as he leaned down and licked across his mark. He lifted up again and drove into her hard once… twice… then on the third, he shouted the final phrase of the incantation.

Buffy's walls clenched him in a death grip as she arched off the bed, her head pressing back into the pillow as she screamed her throat raw. Spike's roar reverberated off the walls as his body locked into a taut bow, his head thrown back and the cords in his neck standing out. They held that position for what seemed like hours as the raw, almost excruciating pleasure rocketed through their bodies.

Another blast of lightning exploded the window inwards, showering them with bits of necro-tempered glass as a gust of frigid wind rushed through the opening. The herbs scattered around Buffy's head lifted in a swirling cyclone until they were hovering over the middle candle then all three flames arced up, joining at the center of the mass of herbs.

XXXX

The resulting explosion of magical energy was felt by supernatural creatures as far away as Las Vegas. Malcolm shuddered slightly then lowered the whip and smiled. "Finally."

Lavelda, who was hanging in the middle of the room, her body stretched into an X shape and secured by heavy chains, looked up wearily as Malcolm's second asked, "Finally what, Master?"

Malcolm smirked as he drew back his whip arm. "William the Bloody has joined with his destined mate, the Lost Slayer."

The whip cracked forward, drawing another line of fire across Lavelda's breasts and another scream of, "Thank you, Master, may I have another?" from her tortured throat.

Malcolm coiled the whip and hung it on its hook then motioned to one of his childer standing in the corner. "You may use it now."

The childe bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Sire. How may I use it?"

"However you like for as long as you like using whatever tools you like. I'm going to be busy for a while, and I want you to make sure it's well used during my absence. Bring a friend or two if need be, then have a minion clean it and put it in its cage when you're done."

The childe bowed respectively again, a wide smile of anticipation on his face and the front of his pants tenting obscenely as he made his way over to the bound woman. Malcolm smirked at her not very well hidden shiver of disgust as he headed for his rooms, his second falling into step beside him. Once they were out of earshot of any childer or minions, Malcolm said quietly, "Looks like that prophecy was right. The Golden Champions have been born. Things are about to get very interesting."

XXXXX

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And that's the end of part one. I know I left a lot of loose ends, but I plan to address those and hopefully wrap them up in the next part. It won't be posted for a while because I need to finish Bruises (which I've hit a complete block in, by the way, and I would greatly appreciate any ideas anyone has about where to take the story or what you'd like to see happen. I will give credit to anyone that gives me that nudge I so desperately need.) I also have a few other stories that I'm working on and want to post before I dive back into this world.

I'd like to thank all those who read, favorited, followed, and reviewed. I write because I enjoy it, but you guys make writing just that much more fun and I'm grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm! Buffy fans really are the bee's knees and I think the BtVS/AtS fandom is the best in the world.

Thanks again and I hope to see you when part two: 'Coming Through – The Golden Champions' is posted.


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